US court strikes down Trump-era visa suspension for 75 countries

A U.S. federal court has overturned a sweeping immigrant visa ban that the Trump administration imposed on 75 countries. The ruling, issued by a judge in the Southern District of New York, found that the Secretary of State had overstepped his legal authority in enacting the measure.

The judge declared the ban "manifestly illegal," challenging the administration's justification that applicants from these nations posed a high risk of becoming an "economic burden" on the United States. The court noted that U.S. officials were instructed to deny visas even to immigrants who met the requirements and were likely to be self-sufficient. This contradicted a rule requiring individualized assessments for each case.

“

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.

The State Department, when contacted by EFE, stated they do not typically comment on ongoing legal disputes. However, an official reiterated that "the Trump administration protects the American people by maintaining the most rigorous standards of vetting and verification for visa applicants."

The list of countries affected by the directive included numerous Latin American and Caribbean nations such as Brazil, Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti, and Uruguay. The visa pause, in effect since January 2026, also encompassed countries like Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Morocco, Nigeria, Russia, Somalia, Thailand, and Yemen.

“

The court made it clear that immigration laws cannot be used to justify discrimination.

Among the plaintiffs were five professionals from Colombia whose visa applications were denied citing the new policy. Six U.S. citizens also claimed the ban harmed their relatives in Ghana, Jamaica, Guatemala, and Ethiopia, according to The New York Times.

The judge's decision not only revokes the visa ban but also overturns visa denials based solely on this measure, potentially leading to a review of thousands of previously processed applications. Lawyers for the plaintiffs hailed the ruling as a significant victory for families disrupted by the "illegal and discriminatory" prohibition. They emphasized that immigration laws cannot be used to justify discrimination.

“

The Trump-Vance administration cannot weaponize immigration law to ban entire countries, separate families, and deny rights guaranteed by the Constitution.