US judge strikes down Trump immigrant visa ban affecting 75 countries

A federal judge in Manhattan ruled against the State Department’s suspension of immigrant visas.Published On 22 Aug 202622 Aug 2026A United States judge has struck down a policy introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, saying the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority.Judge Jeannette Vargas of Manhattan said in her ruling on Friday in the Southern District of New York that the policy was “patently unlawful” and conflicted with federal immigration law, which explicitly stripped the secretary of state of authority over consular officers’ adjudication of immigrant visas.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Is Trump planning an ‘Africa visa ban’?list 2 of 3Why are some African countries banning US citizens from entry?list 3 of 3Why are some African-Americans moving to Africa?end of list“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,” she wrote.Vargas, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, issued the ruling in a ...