Airport Detentions of Iraqi Travelers Spark Lawsuit, Protest

ACLU, other groups seek to represent all foreigners they deem unlawfully held under President Donald Trump’s executive order

President Trump's controversial order suspending refugees and some migrants from entering the U.S. led to protests in New York. But Trump insisted on Saturday that the decree wasn't a ban on Muslims and things were "working out very nicely." Photo: Getty

President Donald Trump’s order to immediately halt refugee resettlement and the U.S. entry of nationals from several predominantly Muslim countries quickly sparked a class-action suit from civil-liberties and refugee advocates.

The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups filed a lawsuit Saturday in federal court in the Eastern District of New York on behalf of two Iraqis who were detained at John F. Kennedy Airport. The organizations also sought class-action status to represent all foreigners they deem to be unlawfully...