A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, including Bangladesh, ruling that the measure exceeded the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan described the policy as “patently unlawful,” saying it conflicted with federal immigration law governing the processing of immigrant visas. According to Reuters, the ruling came in a lawsuit brought by immigrant rights organisations, visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring relatives from the affected countries.

The State Department introduced the suspension in January, citing concerns that applicants from the designated countries could become dependent on public assistance and government resources in the United States.

The policy affected nationals from a wide range of regions, including Bangladesh and Pakistan in South Asia, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay in Latin America, Bosnia and Albania in the Balkans, as well as countries across Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

Judge Vargas said the policy effectively prevented immigrant visas from being issued based solely on an applicant’s nationality, which she found inconsistent with the statutory framework established by Congress.

The case was filed by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, African Communities Together, affected visa applicants and US citizens seeking to bring family members to the United States.

The ruling represents a setback for the Trump administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has focused on tightening entry and visa rules in the name of national security and reducing pressure on public resources.

Immigrant rights groups have welcomed the decision while continuing to criticise the administration’s immigration policies, arguing that some measures have raised concerns over due process, free speech and racial profiling.

BOB Post