Family Of Immigrants Detained At PHL Voted For Trump, New Report Says

A Sryrian family who had family members detained at Philadelphia International Airport as a result of President Donald Trump's executive order banning travel from seven Middle Eastern countries is now part of a lawsuit filed against Trump, whom they voted for in November.

According to NBC10, six members of Assali family were detained Saturday after arriving at the airport from Damascus, Syria. The family members were then put back on a plane to Syria.

In an surprising turn of events, the Allentown family told NBC Nightly News that they voted for Trump.

“I understand he wants to make America safe,” Sarmad Assali said on the program. "We're all on with this. I definitely want to be in a safe place. But people need us and we need to be there for them."

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Assali family to help recoup financial losses from the ongoing situation.

Lawyers for seven detainees at the airport have filed a lawsuit against Trump, the Department of Homeland Security and its secretary, John Kelly; Customs and Border Protection and its Acting Commissioner, Kevin McAleenan; and Kevin Donohue, the port director of the Philadelphia field office of CBP, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The suit was filed in federal court Tuesday and says the affected travelers had valid visas but were put back on flights to Syria after landing in Philly. The suit also says the Syrians should be allowed entry immediately and their visas reinstated.

Mayor Jim Kenney released a statement on the detainees at Philadelphia International Airport.

"I am sickened by reports that federal officials, without knowledge or cooperation of PHL Airport staff, detained and then turned away two Syrian families," Kenney said. "By several accounts, these families waited months to obtain the proper documentation so they could come to our country legally."

Kenney's office said the detainment incidents were done by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents, not employees of the airport.

"History has taught us that dark moments like this occur when we allow fear to silence our compassion and better judgement. Our city has welcomed approximately 260 refugees in recent years from these now-banned nations," Kenney said. "We must speak out strongly against this executive order so that these new Philadelphians' friends and families can also find safe harbor in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.”

Image via Phillip Capper, Flickr Commons