The Trump administration signaled early Sunday morning that it is not backing down on an executive order that is sowing confusion in the nation's airports, striking a bold tone just hours after a federal judge in New York blocked parts of the decree.
At 1:26 a.m., the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a news release, saying it would comply with judicial orders but that President Donald Trump's actions on immigration "remain in place — prohibited travel will remain prohibited, and the U.S. government retains its right to revoke visas at any time if required for national security or public safety."
» GALLERY: Confusion at the airport
The agency also sought to downplay Saturday's tangle of events at U.S. airports, including at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where 11 travelers were detained after returning from Iran and other countries. Their detention inspired U.S. Reps. John Lewis and Hank Johnson to show up at the Atlanta airport late Saturday night and press for more information.
“The president’s executive order affects a minor portion of international travelers, and is a first step towards reestablishing control over America’s borders and national security,” the Homeland Security Department said in its news release.
“Approximately 80 million international travelers enter the United States every year. Yesterday, less than one percent of the more than 325,000 international air travelers who arrive every day were inconvenienced while enhanced security measures were implemented. These individuals went through enhanced security screenings and are being processed for entry to the United States, consistent with our immigration laws and judicial orders.”
The department includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which detained the travelers yesterday.
“No foreign national in a foreign land, without ties to the United States,” the department said, “has any unfettered right to demand entry into the United States or to demand immigration benefits in the United States.”
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