U.S. Judge Strikes Down President Trump's Immigrant Visa Suspension Policy
A United States federal judge has invalidated the Trump administration's policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals from 75 countries, including Nigeria. U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York issued the ruling on Friday, August 21, 2026, declaring the policy 'patently unlawful.' The judge determined that the policy exceeded the statutory authority of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and violated federal immigration law. The policy, which took effect on January 21, 2026, had categorically prohibited the issuance of immigrant visas based on applicants' nationality. The State Department had justified the measure by claiming that immigrants from the affected countries were considered at high risk of relying on public assistance in the United States, potentially becoming a 'public charge.' Judge Vargas found that this blanket restriction based on nationality improperly replaced the individual assessment required under U.S. immigration law. 
