The ruling affects immigrant visa applicants from Nigeria and 74 other countries.
A US federal judge has struck down a President Trump administration policy suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, including Nigeria.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas, sitting in Manhattan, ruled on Friday that the policy exceeded the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and conflicted with federal immigration law.
The policy, introduced by the State Department in January, barred the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of the affected countries based on their nationality.
Vargas described the measure as “patently unlawful,” arguing that the secretary of state does not have the authority to impose a blanket restriction on consular officers processing immigrant visas.
The suspension affected applicants from countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. Other countries on the list included Ghana, Brazil, Colombia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Albania and Uruguay.
The State Department had defended the policy, saying applicants from the affected countries were considered more likely to become dependent on public resources in the United States.
The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by immigrant rights groups, including Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, as well as visa applicants and US citizens sponsoring relatives from the affected countries.
Vargas, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, said the policy’s blanket restriction based on nationality was inconsistent with the statutory framework governing immigrant visa processing.
The State Department had not immediately commented on the ruling.
The decision comes amid the President Trump administration’s wider immigration crackdown, which the government says is aimed at strengthening national security. Rights groups, however, have accused the administration of violating due process and creating an environment of fear for immigrant and minority communities.