'Apocalyptic': Trump's xenophobic travel ban causes chaos at US airports

International arrivals at US airports were thrown into chaos Saturday night as the Trump administration’s poorly arranged coronavirus screenings began for travelers returning from Europe.

Angry tweets pointed the blame at Trump officials for causing the massive lines pushing tens of thousands of people close together for hours - the exact opposite of the recommended social distancing for stopping the spread of coronavirus.

Paige Hardy, an American student who left behind her graduate studies in London because she feared a broader travel ban, said a series of confusing announcements in the air and upon landing in Dallas led to alarm on the plane late Saturday. She posted a video on Twitter of travelers being asked to raise their hands if they had been in mainland Europe. Because of the delay, she also missed her connecting flight.

“It truly felt like an apocalyptic scenario,” said Hardy, who left many of her belongings in England and was unsure if she would be able to return.