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A US federal judge struck down the suspension of visa processing for permanent residency in the United States imposed in January on 75 countries, dealing another blow to Donald Trump's anti-immigration agenda.
In her ruling, Jeannette Vargas, of a New York court, declared that the policy was "contrary to law" and exceeded the "legal authority" of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The measure, in effect since January 21, suspended the processing of immigrant visas, unlike non-immigrant visas that allow temporary entry into the country, and affected, among others, applications from citizens of Brazil, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria, Thailand, and Yemen.
The State Department had justified the decision by claiming that immigrants from these countries represented "a high risk of relying on social assistance or becoming a burden on public finances."
However, Vargas ruled that consular officials had been improperly ordered to deny visas based solely on the applicant's country of origin, even when it had been determined that the applicant met all other requirements.
The ruling issued on Friday revokes any visa denial based solely on this policy.
Since his return to power, Trump has prioritized the fight against illegal immigration, carrying out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, but he has also significantly restricted the legal entry of foreigners.
In early June, a federal judge struck down the $100,000 fee for work visas, commonly used in the technology sector.
At the end of June, the Supreme Court struck down an executive order issued by Trump on the first day of his second term that eliminated birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, with the goal of ending what he considered an incentive for illegal immigration.
[Publicidad]