Travel ban protests continue: 'This is not the country I've come to love'

FOX 32 NEWS - The backlash is growing.

Three days after President Trump issued an executive order to ban immigrants from seven countries, more people are protesting.

From Philadelphia to Houston to Tampa, people gathered to protest the temporary ban that President Trump claimed affected only 109 people this weekend. But the Washington Post estimates that number to be about 90-thousand people impacted.

People protested again Monday at O’Hare Airport where the Tribune says 40 people were detained. Many of the protesters saying the executive order goes too far.

Monday marks three nights in a row of protesting at the International Terminal at O’Hare. The group demands an end to the travel ban. But what about the green card holders that are currently overseas? Some are starting to get worried about coming home.

Samaneh Khoshini's parents are visiting family in Iran and doing pro bono work. Because of President Donald Trump's executive order banning travel from 7 Muslim-majority countries, she's worried about her parent’s trip home to America, even though they have green cards.

“This is not the idea of America that I've had, this is not the America that I have seen, this is not the county that I’ve come to love and call my home,” said Khoshini.

She and her family have been in the U.S. for 12 years. Her dad, Siamak (c-a-mac) Khoshini, is an architect. Her mom, Dr. Farnaz Ganj, is a gynecologist in Aurora. They come home in two weeks and Khoshini fears they will be detained at the airport.

“I think they will be and I feel like they will be discriminated against,” Khoshini said.

Her husband is from Chicago and has Jewish roots.

Rick Silbert's grandparents survived the Holocaust and now he's concerned the travel ban is just the first policy they have to fear.

“Anytime that I see a parallel like this, you don't want to sound alarmist, you don't want to jump to conclusions, but you really worry that history is repeating itself,” Silbert said.

Silbert and Khoshini’s marriage has been about the combining of cultures and countries; inclusivity - which they no longer see in their country. 

“I don't feel like I’m in control of my destiny anymore or that we are in control of our destiny - someone else is holding the cards,” Silbert said.

The family is not just worried about traveling within the next 6 months, but they are worried about long term affects: will this travel ban lead to other policies that will keep them from traveling to Iran?