A U.S. judge on Friday struck down President Donald Trump’s visa ban for Nigerians and foreign nationals from 74 other countries.
Judge Jeannette Vargas of Manhattan on Friday in the Southern District of New York ruled that the policy was “patently unlawful,” adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has no statutory authority.
“The policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,” the judge ruled.
Earlier in the year, U.S. government suspended visa processing for Nigeria and other 75 countries. The policy took effect on January 21, barring the affected countries in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, America and other parts of the world from U.S. visa.
Announcing the policy, the U.S. Department of State said, “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The move followed Mr. Trump’s clampdown on immigration, a focal point of his 2024 campaign before his re-election to the White House.