Trump administration's 75-country visa ban was illegal, judge rules

Key Points:

• A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration's ban on immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries violated federal immigration law by discriminating based on nationality, which is prohibited under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952.
• The policy halted immigrant visas for nationals from countries like Afghanistan, Brazil, and Yemen, on the basis that they were likely to need public assistance, even if individual applicants were assessed as self-sufficient.
• The ruling vacated the visa ban and set aside visa denials made solely under this policy, emphasizing that the administration exceeded its authority and that visa decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Plaintiffs, including immigration legal service organizations and U.S. citizens petitioning for relatives, argued the ban was based on false assumptions and prejudices, and the ruling restores fair immigration processing and family reunification opportunities.
• The State Department defended the policy as part of screening and vetting efforts but declined to comment on ongoing litigation; the decision represents a legal check against immigration restrictions based solely on nationality.