On Friday, January 27, President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning refugees and other visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The following day, thousands of people began to gather at airports across the United States to protest. According to various sources, more than 2,000 people were at the protest at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York City, with other protests appearing at airports in multiple states.

At San Francisco International Airport (SFO), over four thousand protesters showed up in support of migrants and against the Muslim ban, virtually shutting down the airport. Initially, US Customs and Border Protection denied holding any travelers at the airport. Five travelers had been detained and each was released by Sunday afternoon.

Airport demonstrations continued throughout the US on Sunday. In Northern California, not only San Francisco but Sacramento, San José, and Fresno airports also saw demonstrations. Also on Sunday, courts across the nation began to weigh in, with various jurisdictions halting parts of the ban in differing regions of the country. By Friday, February 3, a US District Court judge in Seattle ordered a nationwide stay on Trump's entire executive order.

San Francisco: Narratives from the J28 SFO Protests | Thousands Protest Trump's Muslim Ban at San Francisco International Airport | SFO Day 2: No Ban, No Wall! Release All Detainees Now!

Read More: Labor Files Friend of the Court Brief Against Muslim Ban | Judge in Seattle halts Trump’s immigration order nationwide; White House vows fight | Trump's Muslim Ban Flies in the Face of International Law and Treaties the US Has Ratified | ACLU of Northern California Contact Info for SFO, OAK, SJO, or FAT Arrivals Affected by Executive Order | IG Leaflet: Let Them In! | Federal Court Grants Stay in Challenge to Trump Immigration Ban | ACLU of Northern California Contact Info for SFO Arrivals Affected by Executive Order