A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that blocked immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, ruling that the measure overstepped the legal authority granted to the Secretary of State.
Judge Rules Policy 'Patently Unlawful'
Judge Jeannette Vargas, sitting in the Southern District of New York, delivered her ruling on Friday, finding that the policy contradicted existing federal immigration law, which does not permit the Secretary of State to direct how consular officers handle immigrant visa applications.
"The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme," Vargas wrote, adding that the policy was "patently unlawful."
Countries Affected by the Suspension
The suspension came into force in January 2026 and covered nationals from a broad range of regions, including Latin American nations such as Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay; Balkan states including Bosnia and Albania; South Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh; and numerous African including Nigeria, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean nations.
The State Department had justified the freeze by claiming applicants from those countries posed a high risk of becoming financially dependent on local, state, or federal government resources.
Legal Challenge and Ruling
The case was brought by immigrant rights organisations Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, joined by individual visa applicants and US citizens who had filed sponsorship applications for family members living in the affected countries.
Vargas, appointed to the bench by former Democratic President Joe Biden, found in their favour, ruling that the Secretary of State had no statutory basis to impose a blanket ban of this kind.
The Centre for Constitutional Rights noted that the visa freeze formed part of a wider pattern of immigration restrictions introduced in quick succession by the Trump administration. These included a broader travel ban covering 39 countries that took effect on January 1, as well as a pause on diversity visa issuance introduced in late December.
President Trump has defended his administration's immigration measures as necessary for domestic security. Rights groups, however, have argued that the crackdown disproportionately targets racial minorities and raises serious concerns about racial profiling, free speech, and due process protections.
The State Department had not commented on the ruling at the time of publication.
