Spicer says people held at airports for hours were 'temporarily inconvenienced for the safety of us all'

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published 30 January 2017

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer offered a lukewarm apology during a Monday press briefing that "some folks may have had to wait a little while" at the airport after President Trump's executive order on immigration took effect Friday evening. "It's a shame that people were inconvenienced, obviously, but at the end of the day we're talking about a couple of hours," Spicer said during the White House press briefing. He also pointed out that because of TSA, everyday fliers "have to wait in lines too," and that those detained over the weekend were "temporarily inconvenienced for the safety of us all."

Trump's ban — which bars people from entering the U.S. from seven predominantly Muslim countries and temporarily halts a refugee program — caused many refugees, as well as green card holders and visa holders, to be detained for hours, sometimes without a lawyer. Some travelers were pulled off of international flights, and others were sent back to their country of origin. When asked why a 5-year-old child was among those detained, Spicer pointed to the importance of national security. "To assume because of their age or gender, that they don't pose a threat, would be wrong," Spicer said.