A City Council Committee will begin investigating Tuesday the impact President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration had on Los Angeles International Airport.
Jennie Pasquarella, director of immigrant rights and a staff attorney for the ACLU of California, and Patrick M. Gannon, deputy executive director of security and public safety for Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that runs LAX, will appear before the Innovation, Grants, Technology, Commerce, and Trade Committee to answer questions from committee members.
Trump's executive order, "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry to the United States," was issued on Jan. 27 and halted immigration to the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. It has since been stayed by several federal judges but caused an undetermined amount of travelers to be detained or sent back to their country of origin at LAX.
The executive order "severely challenged the city's ability to provide a hospitable welcome to refugees and travelers and respond to frequently changing rules governing international travel," Councilman Bob Blumenfield's office said in a statement while announcing the planned appearance of Pasquarella and Gannon before the committee, which he chairs.
"Passengers were detained and thousands of protesters filled the airport in solidarity, leading to disruptions including traffic congestion and pilots and crews were delayed from reaching their scheduled flights. In the following days, lack of clarity from the federal government has left the city of Los Angeles with unanswered jurisdictional, legal, and logistical concerns."
Trump has defended the executive order as necessary to keep terrorists from entering the country.
