President Donald Trump’s travel ban barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim nations entry into the U. S. has sparked protests around the country.
A look at what is happening:
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NEW YORK
A protest at John F. Kennedy Airport, where 12 refugees were detained Saturday, swelled to more than 2,000 people, including some celebrities. The agency that runs the airport tried to restore order by shutting down the train that runs to airport terminals. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, reversed that decision, saying people had a right to protest. “The people of New York will have their voices heard,” he said in a statement.
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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
More than 120 people clutching signs denouncing the Trump immigration orders gathered at Newark Liberty International Airport. NorthJersey.com reports that they joined lawyers who’d rushed to the airport to defend the rights of refugees and immigrants who were being detained and denied entry.
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DENVER
Dozens of people converged on Denver International to show their support for refugees. Standing in the main terminal Saturday, they sang “Refugees are welcome here. ” Some held signs declaring their identity, such as Jew or Christian, and the phrase “I come in peace. ” Denver has some direct international flights but it wasn’t clear whether anyone has been detained under the president’s executive order.
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CHICAGO
A crowd of demonstrators held a rally at O’Hare International Airport, where several people had been detained. The Chicago Sun-Times reports protesters blocked vehicle traffic to O’Hare’s international terminal for a time. The newspaper says some arriving travelers joined the protest, while others were upset by the demonstrations.
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DALLAS
Protesters who gathered at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Saturday evening voiced their displeasure with Trump’s executive order. The Dallas Morning News reports the crowd of a few dozen ballooned into hundreds of demonstrators who frequently chanted “Set them free! ” At times, cheers erupted from the crowd as those who were detained got released.
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SEATTLE
About 1,000 pro-immigration protesters gathered Saturday at Seattle-Tacoma Airport to denounce Trump’s executive order. Aayah Khalaf, a Muslim American, was sitting at home watching the protest on television when she and her friend studying from Egypt decided to join the rally. It was her second time joining a protest. The first one was the Women’s March. “It’s not just against Muslims. It against environmental rights and human rights overall. I think everybody has to stand up against this,” said Khalaf, 29.
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PORTLAND, OREGON
A protest by several dozen people in and around Portland International Airport briefly disrupted light rail service at the airport. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports that the demonstrators carried signs and chanted “Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here” and “No ban no wall America is for us all. ”
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LOS ANGELES
About 300 people expressed their displeasure with the ban at Los Angeles International Airport Saturday night. Protesters entered the airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal after holding a candlelight vigil.
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SAN FRANCISCO
Hundreds of protesters blocked the street outside at San Francisco International Airport’s international terminal to express their opposition to the barring of some people from Muslim-majority nations.
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SAN DIEGO
As motorists honked their support, demonstrators outside San Diego International Airport chanted “No hate, no fear, everyone is welcome here. “
