President Donald Trump on Saturday defended his executive order barring travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.
"It's not a Muslim ban," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he signed several executive orders.
"It's working out very nicely. You see it at the airports, you see it all over," he added.
Trump's order halted refugee arrivals into the United States for 120 days, and it barred citizens of Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen for 90 days.
The order caused chaos and confusion at airports across the country on Saturday, as refugees and even permanent residents of the United States were detained by border agents.
A White House official told reporters that individuals from the seven countries who hold US green cards will be cleared to enter the US on a case-by-case basis. If they plan to travel outside the country, they must now check with a US consulate before leaving to find out if they can return, the official said.
The official also rebuked the notion that Trump's order amounted to a Muslim ban, noting that several predominantly Muslim countries are not affected. The official said the amount of people affected by the action is "relatively small."
"It’s important to keep in mind that no person living or residing overseas has a right to entry to the US," the official said.
Lawyers have already filed legal challenges to Trump's order, arguing it is "unconstitutional" and "a violation of international law."
Protests over the order erupted at John F. Kennedy airport on Saturday, after two Iraqi refugees who had been granted asylum and were carrying valid visas were detained by border agents and denied entry.
One of the Iraqis, Hameed Khalid Darweesh, was released Saturday afternoon after two New York lawmakers arrived at the airport and demanded to see him.
Hundreds of protesters descended on the airport's Terminal 4, wielding signs that read, "No ban, no wall," and, "Refugees welcome," local media reported.
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