White House press secretary Sean Spicer dismissed criticism of President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily barring visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries on Monday, saying that those affected were just “inconvenienced a little.”
“I think it’s a shame that people were inconvenienced, obviously. But at the end of the day, we’re talking about a couple hours,” Spicer told reporters in his daily briefing. “I’m sorry that some folks may have had to wait a little while.”
He said that detained travelers were “temporarily inconvenienced” and that the order was meant to “make sure that somebody is inconvenienced a little.”
“People experience this all the time, sometimes going in and out of TSA,” he said. “We have to wait in lines, too.”
Later during the briefing, Spicer repeated his claim that detained travelers were at worst “temporarily inconvenienced.”
“One of them was a 5-year-old from Iran,” a reporter interrupted.
“And they were processed through,” Spicer said. “You can go through and nitpick and say, well okay, this individual this, but that’s why we slow it down a little and to make sure that if they are a 5-year-old, that maybe they’re with their parents and that they don’t pose a threat.”
He added that it would be a mistake “to assume that just because of someone’s age or gender or whatever that they don’t pose a threat.”
After Trump signed the order on Friday, there was confusion as to whether it affected people granted legal permanent resident status through green cards, several of whom were detained at airports over the weekend. On Monday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly issued a statement declaring that the order does not apply to U.S. residents with green cards.
Travelers affected by the ban were detained for hours, and some were even pressured to sign away their long-term resident status or denied access to attorneys, according to reporters stationed at airports nationwide.
At LAX, detainees don’t have “communication access to the people waiting for them, or their attorneys.” https://t.co/OvpGNxZJ5p
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) January 28, 2017
#BREAKING – Police are blocking @CityAttorneyLA Mike Feuer from entering customs section at #LAX to speak with #MuslimBan detainees @KNX1070 pic.twitter.com/Y1cjiCS7Gr
— Cooper Rummell (@KNXCooper) January 29, 2017
Lawyers I’ve been on the phone with are saying that immigrants still detained in NYC are being pressured to sign away their long-term status
— Jack Smith IV (@JackSmithIV) January 29, 2017
Iranian green card holders, age 88 and 83, both disabled. Were detained for hours pic.twitter.com/3fvGTrBWYy
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) January 29, 2017
Lawyers at LAX report TRO not being followed and people are being sent back.
— (((Greg Siskind))) (@gsiskind) January 29, 2017
VIDEO: Mother from Iran, 5-year-old son reunited after he was detained for several hours at Dulles Airport: https://t.co/NwpHxJBG7C pic.twitter.com/LPxGCxNWdr
— ABC 7 News – WJLA (@ABC7News) January 29, 2017
Sara Yarjani, an Iranian citizen, is being forcibly removed at LAX right now despite nationwide stay, forced on a flight to Copenhagen @ACLU
— Alice Speri (@alicesperi) January 29, 2017
Booker just arrived at #dulles, told me he is trying to get CBP to let detainees see lawyers, then went back to CBP area. Press not allowed
— Betsy Woodruff (@woodruffbets) January 29, 2017
Reports coming in that CBP officers at LAX have deported at least 1 person (Iranian individual) in violation of the federal stay.
— Ted Boutrous (@BoutrousTed) January 29, 2017
Held for 10 hours at LAX, Neda Daemi is allowed to leave. She has a green card but was held under the new @POTUS exec. order | @NBCLA at 11 pic.twitter.com/l2kAoYPBUD
— Rick Montanez (@RickNBCLA) January 29, 2017
Here at JFK with the families of individuals w/ visas who are STILL being detained, some w/ relatives who are active duty military #Shameful
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) January 29, 2017
Muslim ban detainees at JFK Airport are being pressured to revoke legal immigration status, lawyers tell us https://t.co/prBR9UpYVi
— Kerry Lauerman (@KerryLauerman) January 29, 2017
Lawyer for #ACLU confirms this Iranian man has been returned to Iran. He reportedly had to be carried onto the plane against his will. https://t.co/BhwUD8tB8I
— Joel Rubin (@joelrubin) January 30, 2017
That’s like saying getting shot in the head is just like getting an extra nostril, SpiceBoy…
Tech CEOs: The Ban has ben helpful.
Stock Market: Excellent Idea.
Martial law, curfews, checkpoints? Those are just inconveniences. Why are you complaining about our beloved leader’s tireless attempts to make you safe?
preview into next week’s press briefing
“Waterboarding is just a free drink for thirsty people”
–Sean Spicer
So by Spicer’s scale Anne Frank was inconvenienced…