On January 25th, President Trump moved to block visas to anyone from:

1. Iraq
2. Libya
3. Somalia
4. Syria
5. Yemen
6. Iran
7. Sudan

The U.S. is currently bombing the top 5 states. Trump’s executive order on immigration indefinitely barred Syrian refugees from entering the United States. It suspended all refugees from entering for 120 days and banned citizens of the above named seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States for 90 days irregardless if they are a refugee or not.

The executive order wreaked havoc on the immigration system and at airports in the United States and all over the world which ignited mass protests and legal action against Trump’s order. See the complete executive order here. From the FB event page:

In a true show of force, thousands of people descended upon JFK calling for the release of dozens of refugees and immigrants who were being detained, questioned, and refused entry to the United States. Due to the collective efforts of advocacy groups and organizers in New York, the Federal Court for the Eastern District of New York has now issued a temporary stay halting President Donald Trump’s executive order.

The signing of President Trump’s executive order has affected thousands – refugees seeking asylum and protection who have already been approved for visas, mothers and fathers barred from reuniting with their families, legal permanent residents being denied the ability to return to school or work, and refugees fleeing persecution being forced to return to their countries to death and violence.

WE CALL ON OUR COMMUNITIES TO KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM TO FIGHT THE REFUGEE AND MUSLIM BAN!

Let’s make it clear that we don’t just want a temporary halt, we want human rights and dignity for refugees and immigrants and we want a reversal of these inhumane executive orders NOW.

After signing the order, many students, visitors, refugees from around the world and legal permanent United States residents holding green cards from the seven countries, were detained at airports throughout the U.S. and around the world. Some were sent back overseas.

Large protests across the country quickly ignited due to the order. On Saturday night, a federal judge in Brooklyn blocked a part of Mr. Trump’s order, allowing travelers being held at airports across the United States to stay in the U.S. and not be deported. Additional Federal judges in three states — Massachusetts, Virginia and Washington — followed issuing similar rulings.

Even Mayor De Blasio spoke at the rally. I recently did interviews for www.PeoplesInternetRadio.com with guests from ElBarrioUnite.org and PeopleFirst.org who were outside City Hall demanding De Blasio to Step Down due to his involvement with Big Real Estate and contributing to the Gentrification and displacement of the vulnerable and low income in places like Chinatown, East (Spanish) Harlem and the Lower East Side.

Elliot Crown and Marni Halasa, regular performing artists from Occupy Wall Street, out giving the crowd a lens full of photo ops showing Trump grabbing the hand- cuffed wrist of the Immigrant/refugee depicted in the well known photo.

Marchers make their way north on Greenwich which becomes Trinity Place which turns into Church Street, then they went east on Barclay Street to Foley Square where the marchers gathered.

One sign explaining what is causing the immigration and refugee crisis we are experiencing. It’s the United States and it’s endless wars which create more “terrorists” with it’s endless droning and killing of innocent civilians creating people who want to retaliate. The U.S. also funds organizations like ISIS and has expanded the size of groups like Al Qaeda since the wars began.

Much like Al Qaeda, the Islamic State (ISIS) is made-in-the-USA, an instrument of terror designed to divide and conquer the oil-rich Middle East and to counter Iran’s growing influence in the region.

Demonstrators against Trump’s ban on immigrants and refugees making it’s way past Rector Street subway.

A spontaneous band emerged and began playing, “When the Saints Go Marching In”

The crowd gathered at Foley Square.