WASHINGTON _ The Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog has begun investigating last week's controversial rollout of President Donald Trump's refugee and immigration restrictions.
The investigation came in response to letters from Democratic lawmakers and hotline complaints, according to the inspector general's office.
In a news release late Wednesday, the office said it will look into the order and how the department adhered to court orders as well as allegations of misconduct.
Trump's travel and refugee ban, rolled out as soon as he signed the order Friday, sparked chaos and protests at the nation's airports over the weekend as border agents detained hundreds of people. The order temporarily halted all refugees and barred entry into the U.S. for people from seven majority-Muslim countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Democrats and civil liberties groups have decried the order as unfairly targeting Muslims, and security experts said it could do more harm than good by stoking anti-American sentiment overseas without reducing the danger of terrorism at home.
Two Democratic senators from Illinois, Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, requested the investigation.
Many Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, have defended the measure as providing a necessary pause to "make sure that the vetting standards are up to snuff so we can guarantee the safety and security of our country."
