US judge blocks Trump administration visa suspension for 75 countries

A federal judge in Manhattan has struck down the Trump administration's suspension of immigrant visa applications from 75 countries, ruling the policy unlawful. Judge Janet Vargas of the Manhattan District Court found that Secretary of State Marco Rubio lacked the authority to impose the measure and that it conflicted with federal immigration law, which does not grant the secretary jurisdiction over consular officers' handling of immigrant visas. The visa suspension took effect in January and affected applicants from countries including Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Bosnia, Albania, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The State Department had argued that applicants from those countries were likely to become a "burden on the state," a justification the court rejected. The decision came in a lawsuit filed by the Catholic Immigration Law Network and African Communities Together. Vargas granted the request of the two immigrant rights groups, ruling that the State Department's announced policy ran afoul of clear statutory language. No immediate indication was given on whether the State Department would appeal the ruling.