Though he made a 2015 speech in which he said he would close U.S. borders to predominantly Muslim nations if elected, a stunned travel industry is reacting and rushing to comply with President Trump's executive order in which he did just that.
Trump's executive order, "to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States" after additional screening, went into effect Friday and lasts for 120 days. It bars entry of refugees from Syria into the U.S., as well as citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries linked to terrorism - Syria, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia.
Several news outlets reported that almost 375 people were detained at airports around the country on Friday and Saturday, with dozens still being held as of Sunday morning.
A federal judge in Brooklyn late Saturday night granted a request from the National Immigration Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union for a stay against the executive order, temporarily banning the government from deporting anyone who has already arrived in the U.S. with a valid travel visa.
Federal judges in Massachusetts, Washington state and Virginia also issued similar rulings, with two judges in Massachusetts taking it a step further by ruling that immigrants are free to travel to Boston for the next week.
"Customs and Border Protection shall notify airlines that have flights arriving at (Boston) Logan Airport of this Order and the fact that individuals on these flights will not be detained or returned based solely on the basis of the Executive Order," Massachusetts Judges Allison Burroughs and Judith Dein wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security said Sunday in a statement: "We will comply with judicial orders; faithfully enforce our immigration laws, and implement the president's Executive Orders to ensure that those entering the United States do not pose a threat to our country or the American people."
The travel industry is reacting with a sense of anger and compliance. Airbnb is offering free housing to refugees as co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky posted on social media.
"Not allowing countries or refugees into America is not right, and we must stand with those who are affected," Chesky posted Saturday on Facebook. "Airbnb is providing free housing to refugees and anyone else who needs it in the event they are denied the ability to board a US-bound flight and are not in your city/country of residence."
[READMORE]READ MORE: Protests Erupt At Airports[/READMORE]
Lyft issued a statement titled "Defending Our Values" in which it said "We created Lyft to be a model for the type of community we want our world to be: diverse, inclusive, and safe. … Banning people of a particular faith or creed, race or identity, sexuality or ethnicity, from entering the U.S. is antithetical to both Lyft's and our nation's core values. We stand firmly against these actions, and will not be silent on issues that threaten the values of our community. … We stand with you, and are donating $1,000,000 over the next four years to the ACLU to defend our constitution."
Uber said it offers its full support to the New York City Taxi Workers Union, which has refused to drop off or pick up at John F. Kennedy Airport in protest of the ban. CEO and co-founder
Travis Kalanick - who, ironically, is on President Trump's economic advisory group - sent an email to Uber employees outlining plans to protect drivers who are legal U.S. residents but not naturalized citizens who travel back to their home countries to see family.
"These drivers currently outside of the U.S. will not be able to get back into the country for 90 days. That means they will not be able to earn a living and support their families-and of course they will be separated from their loved ones during that time," Uber said. "We are working out a process to identify these drivers and compensate them pro bono during the next three months to help mitigate some of the financial stress and complications with supporting their families and putting food on the table. We will have more details on this in the coming days."
In the meantime, airlines are rushing to comply with the new normal - at least for the next 90 days.
In a situation that serves as an example of the confusion and chaos from a hurried situation, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Saturday that it was told by the U.S. government that flight crews from the seven countries on the ban list will also be barred from entering the U.S. That could create problems with cabin crew scheduling and, perhaps, the schedule of flights themselves.
Delta Air Lines "will make every effort to contact impacted customers with flexible rebooking options, including refunds," it said in a statement.
United Airlines is "aware of the directive and are working with the federal government to comply. Effective immediately and until further notice, due to an executive order, the U.S. Department of State has revoked immigrant and non-immigrant visas for travelers to the United States from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Please note that this does not affect U.S. resident card holders. Customers who meet these qualifications will not be able to board a United- or United Express-operated flight to the U.S."
Southwest Airlines said that given its route map and lack of international flights in the Middle East, "we have no indications of any impacts on Southwest Airlines."
British Airways said it "always meet our obligations under international immigration agreements. We are offering affected customers a refund for their travel to the US, or the opportunity to rebook their flight.'
Emirates and Etihad airlines, based in the United Arab Emirates, both warned passengers of the new directive, with Emirates saying "Passengers are responsible for ensuring they have the required documents for their travel."
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