A US District Court in Manhattan has struck down the Donald Trump administration’s policy suspending the processing and issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas, in a ruling delivered on Friday, declared the January directive unlawful, holding that it exceeded the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The policy, which took effect on January 21, halted immigrant visa issuance to citizens of the affected countries on the grounds that they were considered at high risk of becoming a “public charge” by relying on US government welfare and other public assistance.
The affected countries include Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya’s neighbours and several nations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America.
Judge Vargas, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, ruled that the blanket suspension based on nationality conflicted with federal immigration law, which limits the Secretary of State’s authority over consular processing of immigrant visas.
She said the policy effectively undermined the statutory framework governing immigrant visa issuance.
The lawsuit was filed by immigrant rights organisations, including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, alongside US citizens sponsoring family members and visa applicants from affected countries.
Following the initial directive, the State Department had instructed US missions to refuse applicants whose immigrant visas had been authorised for printing but had not yet been printed.
The department defended the suspension as part of a broader review of immigration procedures aimed at strengthening screening and preventing foreign nationals from becoming dependent on US welfare programmes.
Principal Deputy State Department Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said the department was exercising its authority to determine the eligibility of prospective immigrants considered likely to become a public charge.
The Trump administration had cited data on welfare dependence among immigrants in defending the policy, including a claim that about 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households received some form of public assistance.
Trump has pursued a broad immigration crackdown since returning to office, with his administration citing national security, stricter vetting and protection of public resources as key objectives.
The ruling, however, invalidates the blanket visa suspension affecting nationals of the 75 countries, including Nigeria.