A United States federal judge struck down a Trump administration policy on August 21, 2026, that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the State Department policy exceeded the authority granted to Secretary of State Marco Rubio under federal immigration law. The policy had been announced in January and prevented immigrant visas from being issued to applicants based on their nationality.
The court found that existing immigration law assigns visa-processing responsibilities to consular officers and does not provide the secretary of state with authority to impose the type of categorical nationality-based prohibition established by the policy.
The ruling concerns immigrant visas, which generally allow foreign nationals to enter the United States for permanent residence. It does not automatically determine the legality of separate restrictions involving temporary travel, security screening, asylum, or other immigration procedures.
The decision represents another judicial review of executive immigration policy during the Trump administration and may affect applicants, families, employers, consular operations, and diplomatic relations involving the countries covered by the suspension.
