NEW YORK, United States – A United States District Court judge in Manhattan on August 21, 2026, nullified a United States government policy suspending the processing and issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries including Nigeria.
Okay News reports that United States District Judge, Jeannette Vargas, described the January 2026 directive by the United States Department of State as unlawful and ruled that it exceeded the statutory authority of United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.
The policy took effect on January 21, 2026, barring immigrant visa issuance to nationals from 75 countries on the grounds that applicants posed a risk of becoming a public charge and relying on government cash assistance. United States President, Donald Trump, had stated that 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households received public assistance.
Judge Jeannette Vargas, an appointee of former United States President, Joe Biden, held that the suspension violated federal immigration law. In the ruling, Judge Jeannette Vargas wrote, “The policy, which categorically prohibits the issuance of immigrant visas based upon the nationality of the applicant, represents a direct abrogation of this statutory scheme,”.
The lawsuit was filed by immigrant rights groups Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, alongside United States citizens sponsoring family members and visa applicants from the affected countries.
Defending the policy, United States Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson, Tommy Pigott, said, “The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generousity of the American people.” Tommy Pigott added, “Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassess immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The United States Department of State had instructed consular officers in a January 2026 cable to refuse applicants whose visas were print-authorized but not yet printed.
