New restrictions on immigrants and refugees will mean legal permanent US residents, also known as green cards holders, from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries will have to be cleared into the country on a case-by-case basis, a senior US administration official says.
In a briefing with reporters on Saturday, officials defended the scope and execution of the new executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Friday, a move that has caused chaos and alarm at airports.
Asked about lawsuits filed against the order, the officials declined specific comment, but said foreigners do not have a right to enter into the united States, and dismissed as "ludicrous" the notion that the move amounted to a "Muslim ban".
An official said Afghanistan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Oman, Tunisia and Turkey were Muslim-majority countries not included in the order.
It comes as Canada's WestJet Airlines said it turned back a passenger bound for the United States on Saturday in order to comply with the executive order.
WestJet spokeswoman Lauren Stewart said the airline would give full refunds to anyone affected by the US executive order. It did not say which country the passenger had come from.
In Cairo, five Iraqi passengers and one Yemeni were barred from boarding an EgyptAir flight to New York on Saturday, sources at Cairo airport said.
The passengers, arriving in transit to Cairo airport, were stopped and re-directed to flights headed for their home countries despite holding valid visas, the sources said.
