Federal Judge Strikes Down Immigrant Visa Ban on Nationals of 75 Countries

A federal judge in New York ruled on Friday, August 21 that the Trump administration's January 2026 pause on the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries was "contrary to law" and exceeded the Secretary of State’s statutory authority. Judge Jeannette Vargas found that consular officers had been directed to refuse applicants based solely on nationality, even where an applicant produced evidence overcoming the "public charge" ground, violating a 1965 law barring nationality-based discrimination in visa issuance, as well as a provision denying the Secretary of State any role in individual consular decisions. The ruling reverses denials that rested solely on the policy, though denials citing other independent grounds would still stand. The government and plaintiffs have until September 11 to propose how to resolve the case and an appeal of the ruling still possible.

Dgebuadze Immigration Group, PC will continue to monitor any changes to immigrant visa processing based on this court ruling. If you have questions about your specific case please contact the case manager supervising your case or info@adimmlaw.com.