BREAKING: Emergency stay granted to those detained at US airports amid anti-Trump protests

The federal court for the Eastern District of New York issued an emergency stay, temporarily allowing people who have landed in the US with valid visas to stay in the country.

The court ruled on a complaint filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of Hameed Khalid Darweesh and Sameer Abdulkhaleq, who were denied entry to the US after landing at JFK airport in New York City and detained by Customs and Border Patrol.

The ruling was given by Judge Ann Donnelly of the Eastern District of New York during a hearing called in response to the President’s executive order, blocking people from seven majority-Muslim countries entering the US and putting a temporary halt to refugee admissions.

US Customs and Border Protection has denied more than 170 people entry to the US as of Saturday night, according to officials at the Department of Homeland Security.

Bizarrely, reports claim US officials have told airline trade group IATA that the visitor ban also extends to flight crews.

A senior Homeland Security officer has said authorities are carefully monitoring the litigation on Trump’s executive order, but they had not yet seen a copy of the emergency stay issued by the judge.

The officer added authorities would implement any appropriate orders accordingly.

Express.co.uk has contacted the White House for comment.