Pakistanis get relief after US judge blocks Trump’s suspension of immigrant visas.
WASHINGTON — A US federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s suspension affecting Pakistan and 74 other countries, ruling that the sweeping move exceeded the State Department’s legal authority.
The ruling by Manhattan U.S. District Judge Janet A. Vargas found that the State Department’s policy exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statutory authority and conflicted with procedures established under federal immigration law. Case, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (Clinic) et al. v. Marco Rubio et al., no. 26-CV-00858 (JAV) challenged the Administration’s decision to impose a blanket suspension of immigrant visas for nationals of affected countries.
The US State Department announced the policy on January 14, 2026, saying that the suspension would take effect on January 21. The administration argued that immigrants from 75 countries are at increased risk of becoming dependent on government-funded welfare or being considered a “public charge.”
Rubio then sent directives to US diplomatic and consular posts, ordering officers to implement the policy.
Under these directives, consular officers were directed to deny immigrant visas to nationals of designated countries, even where an individual applicant is unlikely to be already a public charge and otherwise eligible for an immigrant visa.
Judge Vargas rejected the government’s interpretation of his authority, finding that federal immigration law does not authorize the secretary of state to halt visa processing of immigrants across nationalities. The court held that Congress established a statutory framework that requires immigration cases to be evaluated according to the individual applicant’s circumstances.
Indeed, the ruling found that the administration could not replace that individual process with a nationality-based suspension.
Pakistan was one of the countries affected by the suspension, along with Bangladesh and other South Asian countries.
The sanctions also include countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, the Balkans, Bosnia, Albania, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
The policy therefore had implications for immigrants from a wide range of regions seeking to enter the United States through the immigrant visa system.
The legal challenge was brought by immigrant rights organizations, visa applicants and US citizens trying to sponsor family members to immigrate to the US. The plaintiffs argued that the administration unlawfully disrupted the established visa process and denied applicants the individualized evaluations required under federal law.
The administration defended its broader immigration crackdown on national security and strengthening immigration enforcement. However, immigrant and civil rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns that tougher immigration measures could undermine due process, freedom of expression, and the protections of minority communities.
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