More Protests Erupt As Fallout Continues Over Trump's Travel Ban
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- More protests erupted Monday over President Donald Trump's executive order restricting travel from seven majority-Muslim countries.
Chopper 2 was over a protest Monday night on the Low Library steps at Columbia University, which drew hundreds. Students from four universities also marched to Columbus Circle to protest the travel ban.
"Anger, fear, and solidarity," said Tanya, who is from India and is a Ph.D. student at Columbia. She and about 200 other students were part of the Columbus Circle march.
Many of those gathered were graduate students and Ph.D. candidates, and some are unable to leave for research.
"If you hold citizenship of one country and one of these seven affected countries, your other citizenship doesn't matter," a protester said.
The group said it wanted Trump to "respect existence, or expect resistance," 1010 WINS' Andrew Falzon reported.
A protest was also drew hundreds Monday night in Tompkins Square Park, and another was held in Jersey City.
"They're going to NYU. They can be going to anywhere. They go home for vacation and they can't come back in," a speaker said at the Tompkins Square Park rally. "They're doctors who work in the New York City hospitals. I talked to a doctor earlier… who went home for vacation and can't get back in the United States."
Trump's 90-day ban, imposed on Friday, affects travel to the United States by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. The order also suspends refugee admissions for 120 days, and indefinitely bars the processing of refugees from Syria.
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, the order has also prompted legal challenges. It is up to the Justice Department to defend the order in court, but now, the acting Attorney General says no.
Late Monday, Trump fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates after she refused to defend the order in court.
It is up to the Justice Department to defend the order in court, the acting Attorney General – who was appointed by President Barack Obama – said no.
"I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution's solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right," said Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. "I am not convinced that the executive order is lawful (so) the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the executive order."
White House press secretary Sean Spicer announced that Dana Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, will take over as acting Attorney General.
Earlier, Trump made fun of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) for tearing up while discussing the executive order in the company of recent immigrants.
"I noticed Chuck Schumer yesterday with fake tears," Trump said at a meeting with small business leaders in the Oval Office Monday morning. "I'm going to ask him who is his acting coach, because I know him very well. I don't see him as a crier. If he is, he's a different man. There's about a five percent chance that it was real, but I think they were fake tears."
Immediately after the ban was imposed, some citizens of the seven affected countries were denied flights to America. A total of 109 people were detained after landing and later released.
As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union said Monday night that she did not know if anyone was still being detained at the airport.
"And we don't know how many people have been deported pursuant to the executive order," said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman.
But NYCLU attorney Jordan Wells said the organization does know "from numerous accounts" hat customs agents have been using what he calls coercive tactics to get detainees to withdraw their applications for entry into the country, without access to lawyers.
"What you have is the agency subverting the court's order," Wells said.
Wells said attorneys were still at the airport late Monday collecting information about possible violations of the court order, while the ACLU prepares a full-throated constitutional challenge to the immigration ban.
Meanwhile, the travel ban has now triggered criticism from former President Barack Obama. A spokesperson wrote, "The president fundamentally disagrees with the notion of discriminating against individuals because of their faith or religion."
But White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the reaction is overblown.
"There were 325,000 people who came into the country over a 24- hour period from another country; 109 were stopped for additional screening," Spicer said. "We've got to keep this in proportion, folks."
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