Judge blocks Trump's immigrant visa suspension for 75 nations

A U.S. judge has ruled against the Trump administration's policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, claiming the policy exceeded the Secretary of State's authority. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan deemed the policy "patently unlawful" and in violation of federal immigration law, which stripped the Secretary of State of authority over consular officers' processing of immigrant visas.

The policy, announced in January, banned the issuance of immigrant visas based on the applicant's nationality, a move that impacted countries from Latin America, the Balkans, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. The State Department had argued that applicants from these countries were at a high risk of becoming a public charge, needing reliance on local, state, and federal government resources in the United States.

The ruling was issued by Vargas, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, in response to a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights groups, immigrant applicants, and citizens sponsoring family members from the designated countries. President Trump's administration has been pursuing a tough immigration stance, citing concerns about domestic security, while rights groups argue that the crackdown violates free speech, due process, and creates an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities, raising concerns about racial profiling.