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, dismissing it as unlawful. The decision, made by Judge Jeannette Vargas in the Southern District of New York, states that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his statutory authority in implementing the policy. The ban, which went into effect in January, suspended the processing of immigrant visas for individuals from countries such as Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Thailand, and Yemen.

The State Department had claimed the restriction aimed to prevent high-risk countries' nationals from unlawfully using welfare or becoming public charges. However, Vargas ruled that consular officers were incorrectly ordered to deny visas based on an applicant's country of origin, regardless of their eligibility. This ruling invalidates any visa denials made solely due to this policy.

President Donald Trump had promised to address undocumented migrants during his campaign and has since taken various actions to expedite deportations and curb border crossings.