Dbarta24 International Desk — A US federal court has struck down a controversial Biden-era/Trump administration directive that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to citizens of 75 nations, including Bangladesh.
The ruling concludes that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his legal authority when implementing the policy earlier this year.
In a decision issued on Friday, US District Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Manhattan District Court declared the State Department policy—first enacted in January—as “manifestly unlawful” and directly in conflict with established federal immigration law.
Legal Limits on Executive Power
Judge Vargas emphasized in her ruling that federal law explicitly defines and restricts the Secretary of State’s role in the immigrant visa application process.
The legal framework assigns consular officers at US embassies and consulates the duty to evaluate individual applicants based on merit, eligibility, and specific qualifications, rather than applying blanket exclusions based on nationality.
“The policy of barring a large class of applicants based solely on nationality is a direct violation of the existing legal framework,” Judge Vargas noted in the court order.
Background of the Suspension Policy
The policy targeted applicants across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Aside from Bangladesh, affected nations included Pakistan, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Bosnia, and Albania.
When introducing the measure, the US Department of State argued that applicants from these 75 nations presented a higher statistical likelihood of becoming dependent on public assistance programs within the United States.
The policy was framed as a temporary safety measure to prevent public charge dependency. However, the court rejected this premise, affirming that national origin cannot serve as a single determining factor for sweeping visa suspensions.
Lawsuit and Broader Legal Implications
The challenge was brought forward by two prominent immigrant advocacy groups—the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together—alongside US citizens seeking family reunification visas for relatives residing in the impacted nations.
Judge Vargas, who was appointed during the Biden administration, delivered the verdict following extensive hearings. The US Department of State has not yet issued an official comment regarding whether it intends to appeal the decision.
This ruling marks a significant judicial check on recent administrative efforts to restrict legal immigration pathways under President Donald Trump’s broader agenda focused on border security and public benefit regulations.
While advocacy groups hailed the decision as a critical protection against nationality-based discrimination, the case underscores ongoing legal battles over executive authority in US immigration policy.