US Court Blocks Trump Visa Suspension for 75 Countries, Including Pakistan

WASHINGTON: A US federal court has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the processing of immigrant visa applications for citizens of 75 countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Russia.

A New York district judge ruled that the policy, introduced in January, went beyond the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conflicted with federal immigration law.

The court declared the policy unlawful and rejected the administration’s decision to stop processing immigrant visa applications from nationals of the affected countries.

The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights organisations challenging the policy.

The US State Department had argued that some applicants from the affected countries could become a public burden on the United States.

Immigrant visa processing for citizens of the 75 countries had remained suspended since January.

The State Department has not yet issued a comment on the court’s decision.