US judge strikes down Trump’s 75-country visa ban

A US federal judge has ruled against a government ban on visas for nationals from 75 countries, overturning President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. In a recent ruling in New York, Judge Jeannette Vargas declared the policy "unlawful" and claimed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his authority in implementing it.

The ban, effective since January, halted the processing of immigrant visas for nationals of countries including Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Thailand, and Yemen. The State Department had claimed the decision aimed to prevent high-risk countries' nationals from unlawfully accessing welfare or becoming public charges in the US.

However, Vargas deemed it improper to deny visas solely based on an applicant's country of origin, even if they were otherwise eligible. The court's decision voids any visa denials based solely on this policy, but the government retains the right to appeal. Trump's campaign focused on reducing undocumented migrants and speeding up deportations since his return to the White House.