Demonstrators are expected to gather Sunday afternoon to protest President Donald Trump’s executive orders on refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
The planned demonstration, to start at 4 p.m., echoes similar protests at airports Saturday across the country in the wake of Trump’s order, which his administration said was necessary for national security, but which Democrats and many civil rights and immigrant groups labeled as discriminatory.
Hillary Holley, an organizer of the Atlanta airport protest, said the event will feature Muslim speakers.
"This event is for them and is led by them," Holley said in a text message.
The Atlanta protest is expected to take place at the South Domestic Terminal until 6 p.m.
"The executive order issued Friday which applies to Legal Permanent Citizens as well as visa holders of designated Muslim countries as well as refugees led to the detention of at least eleven people including a 10-year-old child and a grandmother at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on Saturday," a notice of the protest said.
» Here's what's in Trump's executive order on immigration, refugees
A federal judge in New York issued a ruling partially blocking the order. Late Saturday night, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said via Twitter all 11 people detained at the city's airport had been released.
“Georgians outraged by Trump’s action affecting our neighbors and community members will gather to send a strong message to the administration that we will not stand for exclusionary, racist, and Islamophobic policies,” the news alert for the Atlanta protest said.
On Sunday morning, Trump went to Twitter to defend his order.
“Our country needs strong boarders and extreme vetting, NOW,” he said. “Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world — a horrible mess!”
An airport official said Sunday morning that the airport has plans in place to accommodate the demonstrations and will brief the media later this morning.
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