Trending 
A United States (US) judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspends immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries.
Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York ruled on Friday that the policy was “contrary to law” and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had exceeded his legal authority.
The policy, which took effect in January, halted the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries, including Nigeria, Brazil, Egypt, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Thailand and Yemen.
The State Department had defended the policy, saying it was designed to prevent immigrants from “high-risk countries” from becoming dependent on welfare or becoming a public charge.
However, Vargas ruled that the government could not order consular officers to reject immigrant visa applications solely because of an applicant’s nationality.
The judge’s ruling also cancels visa denials made solely under the disputed policy.
The decision is a setback for President Donald Trump’s immigration agenda, which has focused on reducing migration and increasing deportations since he returned to the White House.
Trump had campaigned on a promise to remove millions of undocumented migrants and has introduced several measures targeted at tightening US immigration controls.
The US government can appeal Friday’s ruling.
