A U.S. federal judge has overturned a policy enacted by the Trump administration that suspended the issuance of immigration visas to applicants from 75 countries, arguing that the decision exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio's legal authority.
Manhattan District Court Judge Janet Vargas said the policy announced by the State Department in January was "clearly unlawful" and conflicted with federal immigration law, which explicitly stripped the Secretary of State of the authority to intervene in procedures relating to consular personnel and immigration visas.
Vargas wrote in her ruling that the policy, which blanketly prohibits the issuance of immigration visas based on the applicant's nationality, "represents a direct repeal of this legal system."
The suspension of visa issuance, which came into effect in January, included applicants from countries in Latin America, including Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay, countries in the Balkans, such as Bosnia and Albania, as well as Pakistan, Bangladesh and a number of countries in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean.
The State Department justified the decision by saying that citizens of those countries are "highly likely to become a burden on the state" and to rely on the resources of local, state, and federal governments in the United States. The department has not yet commented on the ruling.
Vargas, who was appointed by former Democratic President Joe Biden, made the decision in response to a lawsuit filed by the Catholic Immigration Legal Network and African Communities Together, along with a number of immigration visa applicants and U.S. citizens who sponsor family members in the countries covered by the decision.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has adopted a hardline policy toward immigration, which it says is aimed at strengthening internal security, while rights groups accuse the administration of violating freedom of expression and due process guarantees, and creating an unsafe environment, especially for ethnic minorities who have expressed concerns about discrimination.
Trump: I would be happy to run for a third presidential term
US President Donald Trump said he would be happy to run for a third term, expressing regret over the current restrictions.
Speaking to supporters in South Carolina, Trump said: "Unfortunately, we have some rules and regulations that prevent you from running (for a third term). If they want to change that, I would be very happy."
The next US presidential election is scheduled for 2028. However, the current US president has repeatedly hinted at the possibility of running for a third term, stating that there are "paths" for him to do so. This is despite the fact that the 22nd Amendment to the US Constitution stipulates that no person may serve more than two four-year terms as president. Trump's current term is his second.
One of the only ways to change this situation is to amend the Constitution itself, a process that requires the approval of two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and then ratification by three-quarters of the states (38 states).
Although Republican Representative Andy Ogles proposed an amendment in January 2025 allowing for three non-consecutive presidential terms, the chances of this amendment succeeding appear slim in light of the sharp political division.
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