Around 400 outside Terminal 4 at #jfk airport, NYC, chanting “LET THEM IN!” in protest of Trump’s Muslim & refugee ban #nobannowall pic.twitter.com/p3buU7wpCh
— Lucky Tran (@luckytran) January 28, 2017
On Saturday afternoon, a crowd assembled at NYC’s JFK International Airport to protest President Trump’s executive order calling for a temporary ban on refugee entry from several Muslim-majority countries. This immediately resulted in the detainment of several refugees, visa holders, and even two Iraqis with U.S. Army ties. Now, the throng of protesters outside of Terminal 4 is demanding to see the refugees and chanting, “Let them in!”
The refugees have been detained indefinitely, but the crowd is vowing to go nowhere. On Twitter, Michael Moore has urged local followers to join suit.
Everybody in NYC area– head to JFK Terminal 4 NOW! Big anti-Trump protest forming out of nowhere! Ppl mobilizing against Trump's Muslim ban
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 28, 2017
Moore later claimed that the protest grew to include thousands of people.
Thousands keep pouring into JFK Terminal 4! An amazing sight! No planning, no organizing – just me and others saying "get to JFK now!"
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 28, 2017
Trump’s call for new screening procedures and a “realignment” of refugee entry guidelines includes a religious test that gives priority to Christian refugees over Muslims. On Saturday, House Speaker Paul Ryan tried to extinguish some of the outrage while insisting that this is not a ban on Muslims. Well, some people think it sure looks like one.
Many protesters outside JFK are waving signs of support (and messages of welcome) for the detained refugees. Some signs also protest the impending construction of Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall.
https://twitter.com/VeraJailhouse/status/825450378841956353
https://twitter.com/jaycaspiankang/status/825397406724476932
Catfish star Nev Shulman is on hand to join the protest.
NO HATE. NO FEAR. Refugees are welcome here! #Resist #MuslimBan #JFK pic.twitter.com/e9CiZsZ9W5
— Nēv Schulman (@NevSchulman) January 28, 2017
#NoMuslimBanJFK crowd keeps growing. #RESIST! Terminal 4 arrivals. #MuslimBan #RefugeesWelcome #NoBan pic.twitter.com/AJuNrFM3nQ
— Women's March (@womensmarch) January 28, 2017
The #resistance is at JFK Terminal 4 arrivals right now. Join the protest if you can! #MuslimBanprotest #MuslimBan pic.twitter.com/EUWQ4CJSkt
— #RemoveTrump (@Blue______Wave) January 28, 2017
The crowd is growing. #NoMuslimBanJFK terminal 4 arrivals pic.twitter.com/bZUxMNPvpY
— Women's March (@womensmarch) January 28, 2017
Latinx New Yorkers at JFK #Terminal4 stand in solidarity with Muslim refugees! Join us now! #NoMuslimBanJFK pic.twitter.com/Q2XhUK2KDI
— Make the Road NY 🦋 (@MaketheRoadNY) January 28, 2017
Attendance continues to swell for the protest.
Stunning scene at JFK airport pic.twitter.com/ZAwnYmELo8
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 28, 2017
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance has taken the step of halting service to JFK as a form of protest.
We cannot be silent. We go to work to welcome people to a land that once welcomed us. We will not be divided.
— NY Taxi Workers (@NYTWA) January 28, 2017
A 6:00pm vigil (also outside the JFK airport) for the refugees is currently being organized on social media.
UPDATE: Crowds have also gathered in protest outside Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Dulles International. The crowd at Dulles were joined by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe who called for the state’s Attorney General to help those detained at the airport:
.@GovernorVA instructs state's Attorney General "to look at all avenues" to help anybody detained at Dulles under new immigration order. pic.twitter.com/VEbmQT39kV
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 28, 2017
Protests were also reportedly scheduled for other airports around the country, including LAX, Seattle, and Boston.
https://twitter.com/elicejosselyn/status/825476703002705922
Iraq vet w/ 4 Purple Hearts, drove two hours to Dulles w/ his son.
Nobody called him. He just came. Why?
"Not what I fought for." pic.twitter.com/pAe50ugtlI
— Mike Breen (@M_Breen) January 28, 2017
International arrivals @Dulles_Airport pic.twitter.com/rcvl8T7GUY
— Kim Kingsley (@kimkingsley) January 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/slunkerton/status/825481662226120704
I'm at O'Hare with volunteers waiting for one of the last Syrian families to arrive before Trump signs the orders. pic.twitter.com/QStUy20xN1
— Jodi Kantor (@jodikantor) January 27, 2017
Attorneys have set up shop at the O'Hare McDonald's as they work to get the 18 people held out pic.twitter.com/zueaLgNVA4
— Stacy St. Clair (@StacyStClair) January 28, 2017
Lawyers: 10 detained including 10-month-old at #Chicago O'Hare airport. @nbcchicago pic.twitter.com/otUdQ5bZfj
— CHRIS HUSH (@ChrisHushNBC) January 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/christopherjobs/status/825504323291533312
Protestors take the escalator to O'Hare's Terminal 5 pic.twitter.com/cRTSwlwLtL
— Bob Marshall (@bobmarshall) January 29, 2017
(Via New York Times, The Hill & Jezebel)