U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas invalidated the Trump administration’s policy that suspended immigrant‑visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, instantly lifting the ban and broadly reopening visa channels for affected applicants and their U.S. sponsors.
Judge Vargas, a Biden appointee, ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his statutory authority when the State Department announced the suspension in January. The order barred consular officers from exercising discretion under the Immigration and Nationality Act, effectively prohibiting visas solely on nationality. The suit was brought by Catholic Legal Immigration Network, African Communities Together, and individual applicants and sponsors.
The decision restores the traditional role of consular officers, allowing them to evaluate each case on the statutory criteria rather than a blanket nationality ban. Processing of immigrant visas for the 75 nations can resume, easing family reunification pressures and removing the public‑charge justification that had driven the suspension. No immediate market shift is noted.
Sources differ on the specific nations cited. One account lists Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Egypt, Thailand, Somalia and Yemen among the 75, while another mentions Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Bosnia, Albania, Pakistan and Bangladesh, indicating no uniform enumeration of the affected countries in the reporting.