Urdu Report Editorial Team
A US federal judge has struck down the Trump administration’s policy suspending immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan, ruling that the measure exceeded the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and violated federal immigration law.
Court Decision
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan ruled that the policy introduced by the State Department in January was unlawful. The court found that the Secretary of State did not have the authority to impose a blanket suspension of immigrant visa processing based on applicants’ nationality.
Pakistan Among Affected Countries
The suspension had affected applicants from Pakistan and Bangladesh, along with countries in Latin America, the Balkans, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
US Government’s Position
The US State Department had defended the policy by arguing that applicants from the affected countries faced a higher risk of relying on government resources in the United States.
Lawsuit
The ruling came after immigrant rights organizations, visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring family members challenged the policy in court.
