U.S. court invalidates visa suspension for 75 countries

A U.S. federal court has struck down a sweeping ban on immigrant visas that targeted 75 countries, a policy enacted early in Donald Trump's presidency. The ruling, issued by a judge in the Southern District of New York, declared the suspension "manifestly illegal," finding that the Secretary of State had overstepped his legal authority.

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the prohibition is 'manifestly illegal'

The judge specifically challenged the administration's justification for the ban, which claimed applicants from these nations posed a high risk of becoming an economic burden on the U.S. The court determined that U.S. officials were ordered to deny visas even to immigrants who met the requirements and were likely to be self-sufficient, violating a rule that mandates individualized assessments for each case.

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the Trump Administration protects the American people by maintaining the most rigorous standards of vetting and verification of visa applicants.

The decision could reopen thousands of visa applications that were previously denied. The ban, which took effect in January, affected nations across Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Immigrant rights groups celebrated the ruling, with one lawyer stating it was a "significant victory for the hundreds of thousands of families" disrupted by the "illegal and discriminatory" prohibition.

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This decision represents a significant victory for the hundreds of thousands of families across the country and the world whose lives were thrown into chaos due to the illegal and discriminatory visa ban imposed by this Administration.