Tensions flared Monday morning at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), where several hundred protesters gathered to denounce a new travel ban signed by President Donald Trump.
The executive order, which targets a dozen countries across Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, has been widely condemned by civil rights groups as a discriminatory policy that specifically targets Muslim and African populations.
Holding signs that read “No Muslim Ban, No African Ban” and chanting “Immigrants are welcome here,” demonstrators flooded LAX terminals—reminiscent of the chaos in 2017 when Trump, then in his first term, enacted a similar ban aimed at travelers from Muslim-majority nations, according to The Mirror US.
The protest was organized by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which criticized the measure as ideologically driven. “This measure is unnecessary, excessive, and ideologically driven,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of CAIR-Los Angeles, during the rally. “We remain firmly committed to defending the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the dignity of all people affected by our nation’s unjust policies.”
The new presidential order temporarily bars entry into the United States for citizens of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Seven additional countries—including Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela—are also subject to heightened travel restrictions.
Masih Fouladi, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC), called the ban a direct attack on marginalized communities. “This is a discriminatory measure aimed at separating families. We cannot tolerate that, and we will not tolerate it here in Los Angeles. We will not let hate prevail,” he told the crowd. “We will continue to fight.”
The order follows an earlier executive directive from Trump, issued in January, that instructed federal agencies to compile a report on “hostile attitudes” toward the United States and assess whether individuals from certain countries pose a national security risk.
Some exemptions to the ban exist: green card holders, Afghans holding special immigrant visas, and Iranians fleeing persecution remain eligible for entry. Travelers with valid visas issued prior to the ban’s implementation should also be allowed to enter the country.
Trump defended the order by citing “deficient” passport screening practices in the affected nations and their historic refusal to accept deported citizens.
Public anger intensified Sunday after Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard to Los Angeles in response to growing protests against his immigration policies. Approximately 300 troops were deployed, prompting widespread concern and outrage among local residents.
Violent clashes broke out Saturday between demonstrators and federal immigration agents, who deployed tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets. Protesters responded by throwing stones at Border Patrol vehicles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to challenge the deployment in court. “Requisitioning a state’s National Guard without consulting the governor is illegal and immoral,” he told MSNBC, as reported by The Mirror US.
The Trump administration has yet to respond to the mounting backlash. However, the escalating tensions underscore the growing divide over immigration policy as the country heads into a contentious November presidential election.
