The U.S. District Court in Manhattan has struck down a Donald Trump administration policy suspending the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries. Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled that the policy exceeded the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Reuters reports.
According to the court, the policy announced by the State Department in January was “plainly unlawful” and contradicted federal immigration law, which explicitly denies the Secretary of State the authority to direct the processing of immigrant visas by consular officers.
Among the 75 countries affected by the ruling is Georgia, as well as neighboring Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia.
Immigrant visas are required for individuals planning to live and work permanently in the United States. Grounds for visa issuance include family reunification, marriage, adoption, or winning the green card lottery.
In January 2026, the U.S. State Department introduced the restrictions on the grounds that citizens of the listed countries could become a financial burden on the government and rely on public assistance.
