US Federal Judge Lifts Suspension of Immigrant Visas for Afghan Citizens
A federal judge in the United States has struck down the Donald Trump administration’s policy of suspending immigrant visa issuance for citizens of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, ruling that it was in violation of federal immigration law.
Janet Vargas, a judge on the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, said on Friday that the State Department policy announced in January was “clearly unlawful” and exceeded the department’s legal authority.
In her ruling, she wrote that an absolute ban on issuing immigrant visas solely on the basis of an applicant’s nationality amounts to a direct violation of the federal legal framework. According to her, U.S. immigration laws explicitly limit the secretary of state’s authority over how consular officers handle immigrant visa cases.
The suspension, which took effect in January 2026, covered applicants from a range of countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh in South Asia; Bosnia and Albania in the Balkans; as well as several countries in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
The ruling was issued in response to a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights groups, including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, along with immigrant visa applicants and U.S. citizens supporting family members.
The State Department has so far not responded to the court order. Vargas was appointed to her post by former U.S. President Joe Biden.
The development comes as Donald Trump, after returning to the White House, has pursued a tougher policy on immigration. Human rights groups have previously said this approach violates due process and free speech rights and has created a less safe environment for ethnic minorities.
