US judge strikes down Trump-era visa ban for 75 countries

A U.S. federal judge has invalidated a Trump administration policy that suspended immigrant visa issuances for applicants from 75 countries, including Bangladesh. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan declared the policy, enacted in January, "patently unlawful" and exceeding the authority of the Secretary of State.

The State Department had justified the suspension by stating that applicants from the targeted nations posed a high risk of becoming a public charge, potentially relying on U.S. government resources. However, Judge Vargas found this categorical prohibition based on nationality to be a direct violation of federal immigration law.

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The Policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme.

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights groups, visa applicants, and U.S. citizens sponsoring family members. The Trump administration had pursued an aggressive immigration crackdown, which critics argued sometimes infringed on free speech, due process, and raised concerns about racial profiling.

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patently unlawful