People in Houston, the fourth-largest U.S. city, took to the streets on Sunday to protest against President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily barring refugees and seven Muslim-majority countries' citizens from entry into the country.
With a heavy police presence on Sunday afternoon, more than 1,000 people gathered in downtown Houston, waving banners and shouting slogans such as "No Ban, No Wall," "Hate is not accepted here," "We are all immigrants," "Refugees are welcome here," "Houston welcomes you" and "Stop Isolationism."
The protest lasted several hours and ended peacefully.
Another protest was also held at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Sunday evening.
The order signed by Trump Friday suspends the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days, halts admission of refugees from Syria indefinitely and bars residents from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering for three months.
Texas Senator Borris L. Miles also spoke out against the order and encouraged his Republican colleagues to follow suit.
In a statement e-mailed to Xinhua Sunday night, Miles condemned Trump's "Muslim Ban," saying the executive order is "in direct conflict with the principles and foundations" of the United States, which was built on diversity.
He applauded the people who have protested Trump's order and encouraged his Republican colleagues to speak out against it and show support for all Texans.