Thousands of people demonstrated on Saturday night at JFK in New York and other airports around the US in protest of US President Donald Trump's new executive order banning the citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the US.

At least twelve people who were already en route when the order was issued were detained in JFK upon landing.

On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of protesters gathered outside JFK shouting, "Racists out, refugees in!" and, "Let them in!"

By Saturday evening, the demonstrators' numbers had swelled to the thousands, and some even climbed onto the roof of a nearby building. Reuters photos show some of the protesters flying PLO flags.

In addition, 19,000 New York Taxi Workers' Alliance drivers announced a one-hour strike in protest of Trump's new orders.

On Saturday night, a federal court ruled the government was not allowed to detain those who held valid US visas and had already landed in the US.

Responding to international criticism, Trump said, "It’s not a Muslim ban. It’s working out very nicely... We’re going to have extreme vetting which we should have had in this country for many years."

The entire text of the executive order can be read here. Although most media coverage refers to a ban on Muslim refugees, the executive order makes no explicit mention of Islam. It does, however state that "In order to protect Americans, the United States must ensure that those admitted to this country do not bear hostile attitudes toward it and its founding principles. The United States cannot, and should not, admit those who do not support the Constitution, or those who would place violent ideologies over American law.

"In addition, the United States should not admit those who engage in acts of bigotry or hatred (including 'honor' killings, other forms of violence against women, or the persecution of those who practice religions different from their own) or those who would oppress Americans of any race, gender, or sexual orientation."