A federal judge in Manhattan has struck down a State Department policy that halted immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 nations, ruling the measure "patently unlawful" and beyond the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Judge Jeannette Vargas found that the blanket suspension, introduced under President Donald Trump, exceeded executive power. The State Department had justified the freeze by citing a high risk that affected individuals would become a public charge and draw on social benefits. The policy took effect in January and blocked applicants from Latin America, the Balkans, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, including countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Albania, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
The legal challenge was brought by immigrant rights organizations Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, joined by visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring family members.