The Trump presidency on Jan 29 at 4:12 P.M. EST/2112 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Jan 29 (Reuters) – Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Sunday:

IMMIGRATION ORDER

Trump fights back amid international criticism, outrage from civil rights activists and legal challenges over his abrupt order for a halt on arrivals of refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries.

REACTION, PROTESTS

U.S. judges in at least four states block federal authorities from enforcing Trump’s executive order restricting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel tells Trump that the global fight against terrorism is no excuse for banning refugees or people from Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States, her spokesman says.

Prime Minister Theresa May says Britain does not agree with Trump’s curbs on immigration after coming under criticism from lawmakers in her own party for not condemning his executive order when initially questioned.

Tens of thousands of people rally in U.S. East Coast cities to protest Trump’s executive order.

Democratic attorneys general across the United States condemn Trump’s order and are discussing whether to challenge the administration in court.

Trump’s temporary ban on Yemeni citizens traveling to the United States is “illegal and illegitimate,” authorities controlled by the Iran-allied Houthi group in Yemen’s capital say.

YEMEN MILITARY OPERATION

A U.S. commando dies and three others are wounded in a deadly dawn raid on the al Qaeda militant group in southern Yemen, which was the first military operation authorized by Trump.

(Reporting by Peter Cooney; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)