Key facts
- A federal judge ruled a Trump administration policy suspending immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries unlawful.
- The policy, implemented January 21, 2026, blocked immigrant visas for citizens of countries including Nigeria, Colombia, Russia, and Egypt.
- Judge Amit Mehta found the Secretary of State exceeded his authority by directing consular officers to refuse applications based on nationality.
- The ruling applies directly to the Brazilian applicant Newton De Moura Gomes and his family, ordering their applications be reconsidered.
- The court did not vacate the policy nationwide or order all embassies to resume issuing visas to nationals of the 75 countries.
A federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, ruling it unlawful and an overreach of the Secretary of State's authority. The policy, which took effect on January 21, 2026, primarily impacted family-based immigrant visa applicants and some employment-based green card seekers from nations including Nigeria, Colombia, Russia, and Egypt.
Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia held in a July 31 opinion that the policy exceeded the authority granted by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act. The government had claimed that individuals from these countries might become dependent on public benefits, but the court found that the law requires consular officers to examine each applicant individually.
The ruling specifically applies to Newton De Moura Gomes, a Brazilian national whose immigrant visa application was halted. Judge Mehta ordered the State Department to reconsider Gomes's application without applying the unlawful blanket policy. However, the decision does not immediately unfreeze applications for all individuals from the 75 affected countries, as the court did not vacate the policy nationwide.
Edward Ramos, counsel for Gomes, stated that the State Department cannot dictate refusals regardless of individual circumstances, asserting that Congress entrusted visa decisions to consular officers. A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on ongoing litigation but affirmed the administration's commitment to high screening standards.