Federal Judge Strikes Down Trump’s Visa Ban on 75 Countries

A federal judge has stopped the Trump administration’s policy that blocked immigrant visas for people from 75 countries.

On Friday, August 21, 2026, Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Federal District Court in Manhattan ruled that the visa ban was “contrary to law” and went beyond the legal powers of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

What Was the Ban?

In January 2026, the State Department stopped issuing immigrant visas to people from 75 countries—almost 40% of the world’s nations. The affected countries included Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Haiti, Somalia, Russia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and many others across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

The administration said the ban was meant to stop people who might “take welfare and public benefits” or become a “public charge”—someone who depends on government support. The policy blocked permanent-residence visas for people joining family members or taking jobs in the U.S., but it did not affect tourist or student visas.

Why Did the Judge Block It?

Judge Vargas found that the policy broke the law in two important ways:

First, under U.S. immigration law, a person can only be denied a visa as a likely “public charge” after a consular officer looks at that person’s own finances, age, health, skills, and family situation. But under this ban, officers were ordered to reject applicants just because of the country they came from—even if they could support themselves.

Second, the judge said the policy violated a 1965 law that bars discrimination by nationality in granting visas.

“The outcome is predetermined. The visa will be refused,” Judge Vargas wrote, quoting a cable that Rubio sent to diplomatic posts. She added: “In many ways, this is not a challenging case.”

What Happens Now?

The ruling reverses any visa denial that was based only on this policy. Thousands of old visa applications may now need to be reviewed.

The case was brought by six U.S. citizens who said the ban blocked their relatives in Ghana, Jamaica, Guatemala, and Ethiopia from getting visas. Five Colombian job-based visa applicants also joined the lawsuit.

What’s Next?

The Trump administration can appeal the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals. The State Department has not yet said whether it will do so.

This decision is another setback for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court also rejected Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship.