A federal judge in the United States has struck down a series of immigration policies introduced under President Donald Trump that prevented people from 39 countries from receiving decisions on applications for asylum, work permits, green cards and citizenship.
The ruling was issued by Chief U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island. The judge found that the policies adopted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) were unlawful and had left thousands of immigrants in prolonged legal uncertainty. He said applicants had followed legal procedures but were denied timely decisions solely because of their country of origin.
The restrictions affected individuals from countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Several nations subject to full or partial travel bans, including Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, Somalia, Syria and Venezuela, were among those impacted by the policy.
The Trump administration had justified the measures on national security and vetting grounds. The policies were introduced as part of a broader immigration crackdown and expanded travel restrictions imposed during the administration. USCIS subsequently placed holds on immigration benefit applications from nationals of the affected countries.
However, Judge McConnell ruled that the agency lacked the legal authority to impose such blanket restrictions. He said the policies were arbitrary and inconsistent with federal immigration law and administrative procedures. The court also criticised the use of nationality as a basis for delaying or denying immigration decisions.
The ruling applies to pending immigration benefit applications affected by the policy and represents a significant legal setback for the administration’s immigration agenda. The government may choose to appeal the decision, but for now the court’s order clears the way for immigration applications from the affected countries to move forward through normal legal channels.
