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A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria. US District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s legal authority and was inconsistent with federal immigration law.
The policy, introduced in January, had paused immigrant visa processing for applicants from countries the administration claimed had a higher risk of becoming dependent on public benefits in the United States. Judge Vargas described the nationality-based suspension as unlawful, ruling that immigration law does not give the Secretary of State authority to categorically prohibit consular officers from processing immigrant visas based solely on an applicant’s nationality.
The ruling covers Nigeria and 74 other countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. The decision could reopen immigrant-visa processing for affected applicants, although further legal action or government response could affect how quickly the ruling is implemented.
