A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that the Trump administration’s decision to halt immigrant visa processing for citizens from 75 countries is illegal. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas determined that the policy, which was implemented in January, significantly overstepped the legal authority granted to the Secretary of State. According to the ruling, the mandate ignored established federal immigration laws that specifically limit the Secretary's power over how consular officers handle individual visa applications.

The policy faced heavy criticism for imposing a blanket ban based solely on an applicant’s nationality, a move Judge Vargas described as "patently unlawful." The suspension had broad consequences, impacting families and workers across Latin America, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans. While the administration argued the move was necessary to prevent immigrants from becoming a public charge, rights organizations successfully challenged the policy, labeling the crackdown as discriminatory and a violation of due process rights.