A U.S. federal judge has struck down the Trump administration’s suspension of immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria, ruling that the policy exceeded the statutory authority of the U.S. Secretary of State.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas of the Southern District of New York ruled on Friday that the State Department’s blanket policy was unlawful because it prevented immigrant visa applicants from the affected countries from receiving visas based solely on their nationality rather than through the individual assessments required under U.S. immigration law.
The decision came in a lawsuit brought by immigrant-rights organisations, including the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) and African Communities Together, as well as individuals affected by the suspension.
The State Department announced in January that it would pause immigrant visa processing for citizens of 75 countries, citing concerns that some applicants could become dependent on U.S. government benefits.
The policy took effect on January 21, 2026, and covered countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Latin America. Nigeria was among the countries listed.
The suspension applied to immigrant visas, which are issued to people seeking permanent residence in the United States. It did not suspend temporary non-immigrant visas such as tourist, student and certain work visas.
Judge Vargas found that the administration’s approach effectively replaced the individualised assessment required by immigration law with a categorical nationality-based restriction.
The ruling vacates the State Department directive and requires the government to reconsider visa decisions made solely under the challenged policy.
Nigeria was one of the African countries included in the original 75-country suspension, alongside Ghana, Ethiopia, Egypt, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda and others.
The policy had affected applicants pursuing family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visas, including people seeking to join relatives already living in the United States.
For Nigerian applicants, the ruling potentially removes a major obstacle that had prevented the issuance of immigrant visas during the suspension.
However, the judgment does not mean every Nigerian applicant will automatically receive a visa. Applicants must still satisfy the normal requirements for immigrant visa eligibility, including security, medical and other statutory checks.
The Trump administration introduced the policy as part of a broader immigration crackdown and said it was aimed at preventing immigration by people considered likely to become dependent on public assistance.
The State Department described nationals of the affected countries as being at high risk of becoming a “public charge” and said the suspension would remain until it could establish procedures to address the concern.
The policy immediately attracted legal challenges. In February, civil-rights organisations filed a federal lawsuit arguing that the blanket suspension conflicted with immigration laws requiring case-by-case consideration of visa applicants.
The ruling is expected to provide significant relief to Nigerian families and other applicants whose immigrant visa cases were affected by the January suspension.
Consular processing can now proceed under the requirements of U.S. immigration law rather than the blanket nationality-based suspension. Applicants, however, may still face ordinary administrative processing or other grounds for visa refusal.
The ruling also does not affect the separate U.S. travel restrictions and other immigration policies that may apply to particular nationalities or individuals.
The U.S. government could challenge the decision, meaning further court proceedings may determine how quickly and fully the ruling is implemented.
For now, the judgment represents a significant legal setback for the administration’s 75-country immigrant visa policy and a potential reopening of an important immigration pathway for Nigerians seeking permanent residence in the United States.
