US judge strikes down Trump immigrant visa ban affecting 75 countries

A US judge has ruled against a policy by the Trump administration that halted the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, stating the move exceeded the Secretary of State's legal authority. Judge Jeannette Vargas of Manhattan found the policy "patently unlawful" and out of line with federal immigration law, which removed the Secretary of State's control over consular officers' decisions on immigrant visas.

Vargas, appointed by Democratic former President Joe Biden, issued the decision in a lawsuit brought forth by immigrant rights groups, along with visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring family members from the affected nations. The ban, which began in January, impacted citizens from Latin American nations like Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay; Balkan countries including Bosnia and Albania; South Asian countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh; and numerous nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean.

The Department of State argued that applicants from these countries posed a "high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state, and federal government resources in the United States". Former President Donald Trump had pushed an aggressive immigration crackdown during his tenure, claiming it aimed to boost domestic security.

This freeze was part of a string of restrictions the administration enacted, following a broader travel ban on 39 countries in January and a pause on diversity visa issuance in late December. Rights groups claim the ban infringes on free speech and due process rights, particularly affecting minorities, who have expressed fears of racial profiling. The State Department has not yet commented on the ruling.