Spotligh: Protesters in U.S. rally against Trump's travel ban

Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Washington on Saturday to demonstrate against an executive order from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 27 which bars citizens from the seven predominately Muslim countries from traveling to the U.S. for 90 days, stops accepting refugees for 120 days and indefinitely halts refugees from Syria, in order to protect the U.S. security.

The protesters, mostly young people, started to gather outside the White House at around 1 p.m. local time, and made their way toward the Congress along Pennsylvania Avenue at around 2:20 p.m.

Organized on a Facebook page called Peace for Iran, the demonstration was the second of its kind in Washington.

The protester chanted "immigrants are welcomed here, no hate, no fear" and "that's what make America great, love, not hate" as they marched in downtown Washington.

When the crowd passed by the Trump International Hotel, loud boos were heard and chants of "Donald Donald can't you see, you are not welcomed in D.C." broke out.

A protester called Alexa Wilson said she came out to show solidarity. "I believe that people should stand up against things that are against their beliefs," she said.

Taylor Stevens, another protester, said he felt uneasy with the way Trump executed the order.

"He used a hammer when you need a scalpel. The executive order has made our country less safe as it may become propaganda fodder for the extremist groups," he said.

Similar events also took place in New York and Florida on Saturday.

In a related development, the U.S. State Department earlier on Saturday reversed revocation of visas for foreigners under a travel ban which was suspended Friday by a federal judge.

The department said that the foreigners covered by the travel ban who hold a valid visa now may travel to the United States.

The move came after federal judge James Robart in Seattle, Washington state, ruled Friday that President Donald Trump's executive order on the travel ban would be suspended nationwide, effective immediately.

Up to 60,000 visas for citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries covered by the 90-day ban, including Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Sudan and Somalia, were "provisionally revoked" under the January travel ban, which triggered worldwide criticism and protests.

Also on Saturday, the U.S. Homeland Security Department said that it had suspended all actions to implement the travel ban in accordance with the judge's ruling. Enditem