Protesters descended on New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport Saturday after 12 people from countries targeted by President Donald Trump’s ban on immigration were taken into custody.
Trump’s ban – an executive order entitled the “Protection Of The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States” – prevents citizens of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, or Somalia from entering the U.S. for 90 days. It also indefinitely prevents immigration or entry of Syrian refugees to the U.S., and shuts down the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days.
Two Iraqis have already filed a lawsuit against the ban with assistance from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
One, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was a U.S. contractor and interpreter for the U.S. military in Iraq for 10 years. He was released this morning as a result of the ACLU lawsuit.
The other, Haider Sameer Abdulkaleq Alshawi, is still being held at the JFK Airport along with 10 other immigrants.
Both Alshawi and Darweesh landed at JFK late last night and had already had their immigrant visas approved.
Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) has been working to get Alshawi and the other immigrants released. In a CNN interview today, she said:
“This should not happen in America. One by one, street by street, if we have to go to court, we will fight this anyplace, anywhere.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBxMDSh7piU
Today’s protests were organized in part by Jacki Esposito, a lawyer and refugee advocate.
Speaking to NBC New York, she said:
“We’re here to tell Trump that we are not going anywhere. Today is the beginning of a long opposition from us, and our neighbors all over the country.”
Protesters chanted in support of immigrant rights and refugees.
“Refugees in / Racists out,”
“No hate / No fear / Refugees are welcome here”
And the more traditional call-and-response chants were heard throughout the day:
“Show me what democracy looks like / This is what democracy looks like”
JFK. pic.twitter.com/OZeLHuFuLZ
— Josh Begley (@joshbegley) January 28, 2017
Estimates about the size of the crowd vary widely. NBC New York reported some 300 protesters, while the L.A. Times, reported “thousands.”
Others read aloud from Emma Lazarus’ “New Colossus,” the poem inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty that reads, in part:
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”
International reactions have also been deeply critical of Trump’s travel ban. The International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency) condemned the way the executive order prioritizes Christians over and above people belonging to other religions when the immigration process resumes. In a joint statement, the organizations said:
“We strongly believe that refugees should receive equal treatment for protection and assistance, and opportunities for resettlement, regardless of their religion, nationality or race.”
Check out firsthand footage of the protests in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpLVOahYH0g
Featured image via YouTube video.
