President Donald Trump was on Twitter Monday morning defending himself against the harsh criticism he faced over the weekend after he signed an executive order that suspended refugee admission for 120 days with an indefinite ban on Syrian refugees, banned travel from seven Muslim countries for 90 days, and caps refugee admissions to 50,000 people in 2017.
Large protests broke out around the country over the weekend, both in person and online using the social media hashtag #MuslimBan. Many of the protesters showed up at crowded airports, upset about surfacing reports of immigrants being detained at airports after Trump's executive order went into effect.
The protests continued Monday throughout the country's major cities, including New York City, Boston, and Washington, D.C. near the White House.
Trump struck back against his critics and the protesters early Monday morning. "Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage, protesters and the tears of Senator Schumer," Trump tweeted. "Secretary Kelly said that all is going well with very few problems. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!"
Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
protesters and the tears of Senator Schumer. Secretary Kelly said that all is going well with very few problems. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
An hour later, he added a final thought on the matter, reiterating his reason for detaining immigrants so suddenly and without warning.
If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the "bad" would rush into our country during that week. A lot of bad "dudes" out there!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017
On Saturday evening, a federal judge granted a motion filed by the ACLU to temporarily block a component of the executive order pertaining to those already physically present in the United States and those who were already in transit to the United States at the time the Executive Order was signed.
Customs officials at Dulles International Airport in Virginia continued to detain immigrants on Sunday morning after the ruling, prompting four Democratic congressman to travel to Dulles to speak with Customs and Border Patrol officials about the resistance. Reps. Gerry Connolly and Don Beyer of Virginia, and John Delaney and Jamie Raskin of Maryland told reporters they were denied access to both the detainees and CBP officials.
Further legal challenges to the Executive Order are likely to follow.
