WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration reversed itself Sunday on a key element of its executive travel ban from Muslim countries, saying green card holders won't be prevented from legally returning to the United States.
Amid raucous protests at airports due to President Trump's executive order to temporarily restrict travel from seven Muslim countries, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said legal residents won't be subject to the ban.
Priebus stood by the presidents executive order saying it was necessary to protect Americans and was rolled out effectively with the awareness of homeland security officials.
"They knew full well what was going on," Priebus said.
Priebus said "a couple dozen" people remained detained at airports as of Sunday morning.
"The fact of the matter is 325,000 people from foreign countries came into the United States yesterday and 109 people were detained for further questioning, most of those people were moved out," Priebus said.
"Apologize for nothing here," he added.
On CBS's "Face the Nation," Priebus added the White House may "expand" the travel ban beyond seven countries, if needed.
Civil rights activists said over the weekend that legal permanent residents were targeted and detained at the first day of the executive order.
"This is pretty scary," Parsi said.
Dems pledged to "battle" the ban legislatively and with public pressure.
Kaine called out the White House for issuing the ban the same day it eliminated reference to Jews from its statement Friday on Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Priebus said he doesn't regret the statement, but meant no ill-will.