ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

Travellers from seven predominantly Muslim nations listed in President Donald Trump’s blocked travel ban are in a race against time to return to the United States amid fears the executive order could be reinstated.

Families were reunited in emotional scenes around the country on Sunday night as the White House prepared for a court showdown over the ban.

Many had been stranded in legal limbo before a judge ordered a temporary halt to the ban, a decision backed yesterday by the US Court of Appeals.

The immigration order will remain suspended at least until later on Monday when the Trump administration will argue that it should be reinforced.

Among those able to beat the clock were 12-year-old Eman Ali and her father, Ahmed, who arrived together on Sunday at San Francisco International Airport, where they were greeted by her older sister and other relatives. She ran to embrace her sister, and the two hugged and cried.

Eman and her father had been stuck in the east African nation of Dijbouti since Monday, when authorities refused to let her board a plane with him to the US as she is from Yemen, one of the seven nations - along with Iran, Syria, Iraq, Somalia, Iran and Sudan - listed in Mr Trump's order.

“It's not fair. I mean some people they are bad, but that doesn't make everybody bad,” Mr Ali said of the president’s ban.

Iranian graduate student Sara Yarjani, who was initially denied entry into the US under the travel ban, has also returned to America.

She was sent back to Vienna, where she had been visiting relatives, last week, but was allowed back into Los Angeles airport on Sunday.

She has a valid two-year student visa, and thanked Americans for their support.

Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz, both from Yemen, are Green Card holders who were travelling through Washington Dulles on their way to Flint, Michigan, when the ban took effect and they were sent to Ethiopia.

Lawyer Paul Hughes said an agreement was reached with the government to allow their re-entry, and they are expected to arrive back in the US on Monday.

Thousands of protesters march to Downing Street in Trump rally 36 show all Thousands of protesters march to Downing Street in Trump rally 1/36 Caricatures: Unflattering pictures of the UK and US leaders. AFP/Getty Images 2/36 'No to racism': Protesters outside Downing Street. AFP/Getty Images 3/36 Demo: Crowds packed out Whitehall to Parliament Square. PA 4/36 Thousands: Westminster police tweeted this photo. MPS Westminster 5/36 'One nationality': Many signs carried pro immigration messages. REUTERS 6/36 Dogs against Trump: One protester takes a break at the Westminster rally. REUTERS 7/36 Speaker: Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti speaking to the crowd. Getty Images 8/36 'Full of garbage': A sign in Downing Street. Getty Images 9/36 Prime Minister: Many banners carried messages targeting Theresa May, Getty Images 10/36 'Dump Trump': The signs carried personal attacks on the US President. Getty Images 11/36 No Trump: Protesters chant and march. Getty Images 12/36 Never again: Some posters looked back to the past. AFP/Getty Images 13/36 Packed: Many protesters remarked at the amount of people. AFP/Getty Images 14/36 Standstill: Buses had to divert because of the crowds. PA 15/36 Anger: People demonstrate during a protest at Downing Street in central London. PA 16/36 Crowds: Hordes of people took to the streets. Getty Images 17/36 Anti-Trump: Thousands of people have slammed the President's policy. Getty Images 18/36 Messages for May: Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside Downing Street. Getty Images 19/36 'Never again': Demonstrators march along Downing Street. Getty Images 20/36 'Muslim ban': Londoners marched with placards with messages for the PM. Getty Images 21/36 NO: The anti-Trump rally spilled onto the road. Getty Images 22/36 Humour: A sign drawing on a Mary Poppins pun. Caroline Lee 23/36 Chants: The crowds were heard chanting 'shame on May'. Getty Images 24/36 Welcome refugees: Protesters on Monday evening. PA 25/36 Landmark: The iconic London eye seen in the background. PA 26/36 'Dangerous': One of the anti-Trump protesters. Lydia Ruffles 27/36 Anti-Trump: Signs carried harsh words for the US leader. Emma Gibson 28/36 Blocked: Protesters said Whitehall was brought to a standstill. Garry Knight 29/36 'Resist': A sign in Whitehall. Spectrum SINO Radio 30/36 'Bridges not walls': Many of the banners carried pro-globalization messages. Jessica Voorsanger 31/36 Rally: The first crowds forming at the protest, which began at 6pm. Garry Knight 32/36 United: Stop the War Coalition joined the protest. PA 33/36 Gathered: People listened to speakers who fired up the crowd. Getty Images 34/36 We stand together: Among the figures who were expected to attend were Lily Allen and Ed Miliband. Getty Images 35/36 March: Some of the protesters holding placards. Getty Images 36/36 Together: People of all ages joined in the rally. Getty Images 1/36 Caricatures: Unflattering pictures of the UK and US leaders. AFP/Getty Images 2/36 'No to racism': Protesters outside Downing Street. AFP/Getty Images 3/36 Demo: Crowds packed out Whitehall to Parliament Square. PA 4/36 Thousands: Westminster police tweeted this photo. MPS Westminster 5/36 'One nationality': Many signs carried pro immigration messages. REUTERS 6/36 Dogs against Trump: One protester takes a break at the Westminster rally. REUTERS 7/36 Speaker: Shadow Attorney General Shami Chakrabarti speaking to the crowd. Getty Images 8/36 'Full of garbage': A sign in Downing Street. Getty Images 9/36 Prime Minister: Many banners carried messages targeting Theresa May, Getty Images 10/36 'Dump Trump': The signs carried personal attacks on the US President. Getty Images 11/36 No Trump: Protesters chant and march. Getty Images 12/36 Never again: Some posters looked back to the past. AFP/Getty Images 13/36 Packed: Many protesters remarked at the amount of people. AFP/Getty Images 14/36 Standstill: Buses had to divert because of the crowds. PA 15/36 Anger: People demonstrate during a protest at Downing Street in central London. PA 16/36 Crowds: Hordes of people took to the streets. Getty Images 17/36 Anti-Trump: Thousands of people have slammed the President's policy. Getty Images 18/36 Messages for May: Demonstrators hold placards as they protest outside Downing Street. Getty Images 19/36 'Never again': Demonstrators march along Downing Street. Getty Images 20/36 'Muslim ban': Londoners marched with placards with messages for the PM. Getty Images 21/36 NO: The anti-Trump rally spilled onto the road. Getty Images 22/36 Humour: A sign drawing on a Mary Poppins pun. Caroline Lee 23/36 Chants: The crowds were heard chanting 'shame on May'. Getty Images 24/36 Welcome refugees: Protesters on Monday evening. PA 25/36 Landmark: The iconic London eye seen in the background. PA 26/36 'Dangerous': One of the anti-Trump protesters. Lydia Ruffles 27/36 Anti-Trump: Signs carried harsh words for the US leader. Emma Gibson 28/36 Blocked: Protesters said Whitehall was brought to a standstill. Garry Knight 29/36 'Resist': A sign in Whitehall. Spectrum SINO Radio 30/36 'Bridges not walls': Many of the banners carried pro-globalization messages. Jessica Voorsanger 31/36 Rally: The first crowds forming at the protest, which began at 6pm. Garry Knight 32/36 United: Stop the War Coalition joined the protest. PA 33/36 Gathered: People listened to speakers who fired up the crowd. Getty Images 34/36 We stand together: Among the figures who were expected to attend were Lily Allen and Ed Miliband. Getty Images 35/36 March: Some of the protesters holding placards. Getty Images 36/36 Together: People of all ages joined in the rally. Getty Images

Cairo airport officials said a total of 33 migrants from Yemen, Syria and Iraq had boarded flights on their way to the US. They had not previously tried to travel to the US and been turned back, but rather they are migrants who are rushing to take advantage of the window offered by the court ruling.

On Sunday, a judge in San Francisco rejected the government's request for an immediate reinstatement. Formal arguments in the case begin on Monday.

Mr Trump responded to the freezing of his order by tweeting that he had “instructed Homeland Security to check people coming into our country VERY CAREFULLY.”

“Just cannot believe a judge would put our country in such peril,” Mr Trump wrote earlier. “If something happens blame him and court system. People pouring in. Bad!”

Vice President Mike Pence called the court order declining to reinstate the ban “frustrating” and described it as inconsistent and unconstitutional.

“It's quite clear the president has the ability to decide who has access to this country,” he added.