US Judge Blocks Visa Suspension Affecting 75 Countries
A US federal judge has blocked a Trump administration policy suspending immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh.
A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, in a ruling that could affect thousands of prospective immigrants and families seeking to reunite in the United States.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan ruled that the policy exceeded the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conflicted with federal immigration law, according to a Reuters report.
The decision represents a significant legal challenge to the administration's immigration measures and comes amid a broader tightening of US visa and immigration policies.
Visa suspension covered 75 countries
The State Department introduced the visa suspension in January, targeting applicants from countries across several regions, including South Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caribbean.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were among the South Asian countries affected. The policy also covered countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Bosnia and Albania, along with several nations in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
The measure prevented US consular officials from issuing immigrant visas to nationals of the designated countries.
Judge says policy exceeded federal authority
In her ruling, Judge Vargas described the policy as unlawful and concluded that federal immigration law did not grant the secretary of state authority to impose such a broad restriction on immigrant visa processing based solely on nationality.
The court found that the suspension conflicted with the statutory framework governing the issuance of immigrant visas.
The ruling followed a legal challenge brought by immigrant advocacy organisations, visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring family members from affected countries.
Dany is a business journalist with Annuity Outlook Magazine, with over 16 years of experience across print, digital, and wires. He covers business, technology, policy, and corporate developments, with a focus on in-depth reporting and analysis. Over the years, he has worked across multiple editorial platforms. Skilled in content creation, editing, proofreading, and overseeing print layouts, his career spans multiple editorial platforms.
