US Court Ruling Reopens Immigrant Visas for Guatemalans After Seven-Month Freeze
A New York federal court vacated the US suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries including Guatemala, restoring case-by-case decisions. The post US Court Ruling Reopens Immigrant Visas for Guatemalans After Seven-Month Freeze appeared first on The Rio Times .
The US Court of Appeals in New York has overturned the Trump administration's seven-month suspension of immigrant visa processing for Guatemalans and 74 other countries. The ruling, issued on August 21, 2026, reinstates the case-by-case adjudication process for immigrant visas, which had been frozen since January 21, 2026. Judge Jeannette Vargas found that the State Department's blanket suspension violated the Immigration and Nationality Act's prohibition on nationality-based discrimination and exceeded the Secretary of State's authority.
While the ruling does not guarantee approvals, it ensures that applicants' cases will be reviewed individually based on their merits, rather than being denied solely due to their nationality.
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