Washington, January 30 (RHC)-- Thousands of protesters flooded airports across the United States over the weekend after President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday temporarily banning all refugees from entering the country, and barring access for 90 days to nationals from seven majority-Muslim nations.

The measure instantly cut off access to the U.S. to 218 million people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and indefinitely suspended the admission of Syrian refugees.  Across the world, travelers were left stranded, while scores were detained by customs officials after landing at U.S. airports.  

President Trump’s order drew immediate legal challenges, and by Sunday judges in California, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia and Washington issued temporary stays blocking the deportation of valid visa holders.

But some lawmakers report Customs and Border Protection officers are defying the courts.  Congressmember Don Beyer of Virginia said officials at Dulles airport outside Washington, D.C., refused to comment on whether they were detaining travelers, and had denied them access to lawyers.

Rep. Beyer tweeted: "We have a constitutional crisis today.  Four Members of Congress asked CBP officials to enforce a federal court order and were turned away."

In Los Angeles, police in riot gear deployed Sunday as thousands of demonstrators blocked traffic near the Tom Bradley International Terminal.  Thousands more rallied at airports in Chicago, Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle and elsewhere.  In San Francisco, demonstrators blocked all security entry points in SFO’s international terminal on Sunday.