Travelers previously affected by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Muslim-targeted immigration order were allowed back into the United States after a federal judge swept the ban aside.
Naturally, there were tears of joy as relatives, friends and family reunited after what they thought would be a much longer time apart.
Trump's order, which placed a temporary ban on seven Muslim-majority countries --namely people from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen-- was put on hold by Federal Judge James Robart of the U.S. District Court on Saturday.
The State Department also reversed the cancellations of visas for foreigners, as did Homeland Security, with the latter suspending “all actions” related to implementing the travel ban.
"It's business as usual," said Camille Mackler, of the New York Immigration Coalition" at New York's Kennedy Airport.
"I'm very happy. I haven't seen my brothers for nine years," Fariba Tajrostami, a 32-year-old painter from Iran, said.
Similar scenes played out across the U.S.
This mother and daughter from Yemen were among the many who made a last-minute flight to travel while the ban is suspended.
Haifa Abdulwahab Hussein Mohammed, and three-year-old daughter Rudaynah reunited Sunday morning at O’Hare Airport.
Her husband Abdusebur Jemal told CBS 2 that all he wanted was to "see my wife and my daughter, this is one of the greatest moments, I think, since I got to this country,” Jemal said.
Trump reacted angrily on Sunday. In a tweet, he indicated that he had given immigration lawyers and advocates reason to fear the country may not remain open for long.
Up to 60,000 foreigners from seven majority-Muslim countries had their visas “provisionally revoked" during the time the ban was implemented.
But, for now, the State Department says people covered by the order and holding a valid visa may travel to the U.S.