Airport mayhem over Trump’s ban on US entry from 7 Muslim countries

The presidential order to deny citizens and refugees from seven terror-prone Muslim countries was challenged Sunday by two US judges in New York and Virginia  who ruled their deportation on arrival in the US illegal. JFK and other international airports saw large protests amid confusion, as border officials tried to determine which instruction was binding. The Trump administration defended the ban and showed no sign of backing down.

Some citizens with green cards found themselves stranded by being prevented from boarding planes home to their jobs and families after short trips, as did some dual nationals, or people born in one of the seven countries who hold passports even from US allies, such as the United Kingdom.

Civil rights groups at home and international humanitarian organizations are up in arms over the Trump decree and its effect on distressed refugees. They were supported in statements from German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The US Department of Homeland Security responded by claiming that "less than one percent" of international travelers were "inconvenienced,” adding: "President Trump’s executive orders remain in place — prohibited travel will remain prohibited, and the US government retains its right to revoke visas at any time if required for national security or public safety,” the statement said.