Judge Rules 75-Country Immigrant Visa Ban Illegal and Beyond Authority

A Manhattan federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s 75-country immigrant visa ban as contrary to law and outside the State Department’s authority, ruling officers were ordered to deny visas from those countries even when applicants could support themselves. The policy halted permanent-residence visas for family- or job-based immigration from about 40% of nations and did not affect nonimmigrant visas. The court found the ban violated the 1965 law barring nationality discrimination and exceeded the secretary of state’s discretion; the administration can appeal, and both sides have until Sept. 11 to propose remedies for remaining issues. Plaintiffs included U.S. citizens and visa applicants blocked by the policy.