2nd day of protests over Trump's immigration policies

For a second consecutive day, protesters rallied across the country against President Donald Trump's immigration policies.

Throngs of people gathered Sunday afternoon outside the White House. Crowds also formed in Boston's Copley Square, at Battery Park in Manhattan and at airports in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Washington and Dallas.

Crowds gathered outside airports across the country, cheering as detained travelers started to leave.

These follow demonstrations that erupted Saturday over Trump's travel ban. Issued Friday night, it bars entry to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia. Part of the ban was halted by a judge in a federal court in New York on Saturday.

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In New York, six more people were released late Sunday morning after being detained at John F. Kennedy International Airport the day before.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, said seven to 10 people were still being held.

"(They) have lawful visas and they have the proper paperwork," Jeffries said. "We hope they will be released later today."

Weekend of protest

Crowds had gathered at JFK on Saturday to protest the detention of two Iraqis who were later released. Protests also sprung up at a handful of other airports where people were blocked trying to enter the country.

Police pepper-spray protesters at airport

Police pepper-spray protesters at airport

"Mr. President, look at us," said US Rep. Nydia Velazquez, a New York Democrat. "This is America. What you have done is shameful. It's un-American."

The protesters gathered in Terminal 4 at JFK and carried signs reading, "We are all immigrants!" and "No ban! No wall!"

Several New York officials showed support for the protests.

Trump's immigration order: Which countries are affected?

 

  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Syria
  • Sudan
  • Libya
  • Yemen
  • Somalia

 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reverse an earlier decision to restrict passage aboard the JFK Airport AirTrain to ticketed passengers and airport employees only.

He also instructed state police and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to assist with security and transportation for protesters.

"The people of New York will have their voices heard," Cuomo said.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio posted a series of tweets calling the travel ban "shameful" and "simply un-American." He later tweeted of photo of himself addressing protesters Sunday at New York's Battery Park.

We are not fooled. We see clearly where this road leads and how it's dangerous. pic.twitter.com/7rm2aLZIBf

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) January 29, 2017

Airport arrests

One of the detained Iraqis at JFK, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was released early Saturday afternoon. He worked with the US government for 10 years after the United States invaded Iraq.

Protestors rally at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Protestors rally at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The other detained Iraqi, Haider Sameer Abdulkaleq Alshawi, had been granted a visa to join his wife, who worked for a US contractor in Iraq, and son, both of whom already live in the United States as refugees. Alshawi was released later Saturday.

The American Civil Liberties Union argued Saturday evening in a federal court in New York for a nationwide stay that would block the deportation of all people stranded in US airports under what the group called "President Trump's new Muslim ban."

A federal judge in New York granted an emergency stay Saturday night for citizens of the seven Muslim-majority countries who have already arrived in the United States and those who are in transit, and who hold valid visas, ruling they cannot be removed from the United States.

That move limited part of President Trump's executive order barring citizens from those countries from entering the United States for the next 90 days.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, another Democrat from New York, said some 10 other travelers were detained, but their status was unclear.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe joined protesters at Dulles International Airport outside Washington.

"This executive order is antithetical to the values that make America great, and it will make our country less safe," he said in a statement.

At Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, an estimated 2,000 people turned out to protest the President's immigration policies on Saturday.

The loud protests boiled over inside the terminal, blocking the arrival level escalators early Sunday morning, CNN's Jon Ostrower tweeted from the airport.

Police dispersed parts of the crowd with pepper spray -- at least 15 arrests were made, the Seattle Police Department said.

"If you aren't willing to risk arrest, this may be time for you to leave," protesters said to one another

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com