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| Trump White House defends travel ban as John McCain warns of benefits to Isis | Trump White House defends travel ban as John McCain warns of benefits to Isis |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Only a day after casting airports around the US into confusion and hours after his first defeat in federal court, Donald Trump and his advisers flew into a defense of his vague and chaotically enforced ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. | Only a day after casting airports around the US into confusion and hours after his first defeat in federal court, Donald Trump and his advisers flew into a defense of his vague and chaotically enforced ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. |
| Trump’s chief of staff, Reince Priebus, however, appeared to concede ground when he said the ban would no longer apply to green-card holders. | Trump’s chief of staff, Reince Priebus, however, appeared to concede ground when he said the ban would no longer apply to green-card holders. |
| Early on Sunday morning, with some people still held at airports around the US, Trump spluttered on to Twitter to insist only draconian measures could protect the US from outside tumult. | Early on Sunday morning, with some people still held at airports around the US, Trump spluttered on to Twitter to insist only draconian measures could protect the US from outside tumult. |
| “Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW,” the president wrote. “Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world – a horrible mess!” | “Our country needs strong borders and extreme vetting, NOW,” the president wrote. “Look what is happening all over Europe and, indeed, the world – a horrible mess!” |
| Later, he added: “Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue!” | Later, he added: “Christians in the Middle-East have been executed in large numbers. We cannot allow this horror to continue!” |
| Trump did not acknowledge the decisions by federal judges on Saturday night to halt deportations for people who had arrived with valid visas from seven predominantly Muslim countries that he singled out with an executive order on Friday. | Trump did not acknowledge the decisions by federal judges on Saturday night to halt deportations for people who had arrived with valid visas from seven predominantly Muslim countries that he singled out with an executive order on Friday. |
| That order suspended the US refugee program for 120 days, ended the Syrian refugee program indefinitely and halted travel from those seven countries – cutting off legal residents from their families and jobs and throwing travel authorities into confusion about how to enforce the rule. | That order suspended the US refugee program for 120 days, ended the Syrian refugee program indefinitely and halted travel from those seven countries – cutting off legal residents from their families and jobs and throwing travel authorities into confusion about how to enforce the rule. |
| Instead, Trump chose to denigrate the New York Times, writing: “Somebody with aptitude and conviction should buy the FAKE NEWS and failing @nytimes and either run it correctly or let it fold with dignity!” | Instead, Trump chose to denigrate the New York Times, writing: “Somebody with aptitude and conviction should buy the FAKE NEWS and failing @nytimes and either run it correctly or let it fold with dignity!” |
| In extraordinary scenes around the US, scores of people were detained on arrival at airports, even though they were pre-approved or legal residents. Hundreds gathered to protest at airports in solidarity with the travelers, and attorneys rushed to help detainees and file suits against the government. | In extraordinary scenes around the US, scores of people were detained on arrival at airports, even though they were pre-approved or legal residents. Hundreds gathered to protest at airports in solidarity with the travelers, and attorneys rushed to help detainees and file suits against the government. |
| Protests continued around the US on Sunday, in an echo of the massive Women’s Marches which were staged on the weekend of Trump’s inauguration. | |
| Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Priebus said 325,000 travelers had entered the US on Saturday and 109 were detained. | |
| “Most of those people were moved out,” he said. “We’ve got a couple dozen more that remain and I would suspect that as long as they’re not awful people that they will move through before another half a day today.” | “Most of those people were moved out,” he said. “We’ve got a couple dozen more that remain and I would suspect that as long as they’re not awful people that they will move through before another half a day today.” |
| In an abrupt, apparent change from the White House’s original policy, Priebus said the order would no longer affect green-card holders. But he also suggested that “other countries” may “need to be added” to the travel ban. | In an abrupt, apparent change from the White House’s original policy, Priebus said the order would no longer affect green-card holders. But he also suggested that “other countries” may “need to be added” to the travel ban. |
| “Maybe some of those people should be detained,” he said, although valid visa holders have already passed through an arduous screening and interview process. | “Maybe some of those people should be detained,” he said, although valid visa holders have already passed through an arduous screening and interview process. |
| In Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday night, attorneys for the White House struggled to defend the order in court, and a judge swiftly granted a partial and temporary halt to deportations. | In Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday night, attorneys for the White House struggled to defend the order in court, and a judge swiftly granted a partial and temporary halt to deportations. |
| Similar orders from federal judges in Virginia and Massachusetts followed, but overnight there were still unconfirmed reports that some border agents were defying the judge’s order and continuing to detain travelers. Democrats rallied to help detained people and protesters, with Congressman John Lewis going to the Atlanta airport and New York mayor Bill de Blasio telling CNN’s State of the Union the order “violates our constitutional norms”. | Similar orders from federal judges in Virginia and Massachusetts followed, but overnight there were still unconfirmed reports that some border agents were defying the judge’s order and continuing to detain travelers. Democrats rallied to help detained people and protesters, with Congressman John Lewis going to the Atlanta airport and New York mayor Bill de Blasio telling CNN’s State of the Union the order “violates our constitutional norms”. |
| The Department of Homeland Security responded to the judge’s order on Saturday morning, saying agents would continue to enforce Trump’s orders. | The Department of Homeland Security responded to the judge’s order on Saturday morning, saying agents would continue to enforce Trump’s orders. |
| “No foreign national in a foreign land, without ties to the United States, has any unfettered right to demand entry into the United States or to demand immigration benefits in the United States,” the agency said. Only in the fourth paragraph of its reply did the DHS concede that officials “will comply with judicial orders”. | “No foreign national in a foreign land, without ties to the United States, has any unfettered right to demand entry into the United States or to demand immigration benefits in the United States,” the agency said. Only in the fourth paragraph of its reply did the DHS concede that officials “will comply with judicial orders”. |
| Two of Trump’s closest advisers similarly insisted that the president’s orders had not disrupted US domestic and foreign policy, causing problems at airports, provoking scorn from European allies and reciprocal measures from Iran. Priebus told NBC there “wasn’t chaos” at airports and the administration would “apologize for nothing”. | Two of Trump’s closest advisers similarly insisted that the president’s orders had not disrupted US domestic and foreign policy, causing problems at airports, provoking scorn from European allies and reciprocal measures from Iran. Priebus told NBC there “wasn’t chaos” at airports and the administration would “apologize for nothing”. |
| Another adviser, Kellyanne Conway, falsely told Fox News Sunday the decision of the federal judge in New York “doesn’t really affect the executive order at all”. Though the decision does not affect all the terms of Trump’s order, it clearly targets its provisions about deportations. | Another adviser, Kellyanne Conway, falsely told Fox News Sunday the decision of the federal judge in New York “doesn’t really affect the executive order at all”. Though the decision does not affect all the terms of Trump’s order, it clearly targets its provisions about deportations. |
| Conway then said that problems for “1%” of travellers was “a small price to pay” for security. | Conway then said that problems for “1%” of travellers was “a small price to pay” for security. |
| “This whole idea that they’re being separate and ripped from their family,” she said, “it’s temporary.” | “This whole idea that they’re being separate and ripped from their family,” she said, “it’s temporary.” |
| Conway added that people who had been detained should continue through screening – although they already had been approved – until authorities deemed them “no further threat”. | Conway added that people who had been detained should continue through screening – although they already had been approved – until authorities deemed them “no further threat”. |
| A handful of Republicans in Congress broke with Trump on the order, at least partially, harkening back to when the businessman originally described it as a “complete and total shutdown” on Muslim migration and was criticized by many more people in his party. | A handful of Republicans in Congress broke with Trump on the order, at least partially, harkening back to when the businessman originally described it as a “complete and total shutdown” on Muslim migration and was criticized by many more people in his party. |
| Only a few spoke out on Saturday, including senators Jeff Flake and Ben Sasse, who respectively called the order “unacceptable” for legal residents and “too broad”. | Only a few spoke out on Saturday, including senators Jeff Flake and Ben Sasse, who respectively called the order “unacceptable” for legal residents and “too broad”. |
| On Sunday, Senator John McCain went furthest, telling CBS’s Face the Nation the order “in some areas will give Isis some more propaganda”. | On Sunday, Senator John McCain went furthest, telling CBS’s Face the Nation the order “in some areas will give Isis some more propaganda”. |
| The party’s leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, said he would not defend the White House’s order. | The party’s leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, said he would not defend the White House’s order. |
| “I am opposed to religious tests,” he told ABC’s This Week. “It’s going to be decided in the courts as to whether or not this has gone too far.” | “I am opposed to religious tests,” he told ABC’s This Week. “It’s going to be decided in the courts as to whether or not this has gone too far.” |
| Trump’s order is being challenged as a violation to the constitution’s guarantees of due process and against religious discrimination, meaning that its intent could prove an important factor in deciding its legality. | Trump’s order is being challenged as a violation to the constitution’s guarantees of due process and against religious discrimination, meaning that its intent could prove an important factor in deciding its legality. |
| Trump moved away from calling for a “Muslim ban” late in his White House campaign, but as recently as Friday he said he wanted to show preference to Christian refugees. His adviser Rudy Giuliani has said he was asked to design “the right way to do it legally”. | Trump moved away from calling for a “Muslim ban” late in his White House campaign, but as recently as Friday he said he wanted to show preference to Christian refugees. His adviser Rudy Giuliani has said he was asked to design “the right way to do it legally”. |
| McConnell said: “I think we need to be careful,” noting that the US relies on Muslim allies throughout the Middle East. But he did not break with the Republican president entirely. | McConnell said: “I think we need to be careful,” noting that the US relies on Muslim allies throughout the Middle East. But he did not break with the Republican president entirely. |
| “I’m not going to make a blanket criticism of this effort,” he said. | “I’m not going to make a blanket criticism of this effort,” he said. |
| Vice-president Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, the two most powerful figures in Washington behind Trump, both criticized his call to ban Muslim migration while he was a candidate last year. | Vice-president Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan, the two most powerful figures in Washington behind Trump, both criticized his call to ban Muslim migration while he was a candidate last year. |
| A spokeswoman for Ryan said on Saturday that he supported the order and does not consider it a religious test. | A spokeswoman for Ryan said on Saturday that he supported the order and does not consider it a religious test. |