CNN: Trump Faces Another Legal Setback as Federal Court Overturns Visa Ban Targeting Citizens from 75 Countries
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration's policy was unlawful. The policy, which took effect in January this year, effectively suspended immigration visas for citizens of 75 countries. The court determined that the refusal to issue visas was primarily based on applicants' nationality, violating laws prohibiting national origin discrimination. This ruling applies only to family reunification and employment-based immigrant visas; tourist and student visas are not affected. The Trump administration has the right to appeal this decision.
Trump has repeatedly introduced country-specific immigration restrictions during his two terms in office, with nearly every round being halted by federal district courts, forming a recurring pattern: executive issuance of new policies → collective lawsuits by civil organizations → district court injunctions → government appeals to circuit courts or the Supreme Court. This ruling is not final; after the government appeals, higher courts may overturn it, meaning the legal battle will likely continue.
The court only struck down nationality-based visa restrictions for immigrant visas, while retaining limitations on tourist and short-term student visas. This indicates that the judge did not entirely reject Trump’s broader goal of tightening immigration controls, but instead rejected the unlawful approach of applying blanket nationality-based bans, striking a balance between national security and anti-discrimination laws.
The Trump administration has explicitly announced its intention to appeal. Until the appellate process concludes, the district court’s ruling remains subject to change, and consular visa processing procedures are likely to enter a transitional phase, leaving applicants facing continued uncertainty in the short term.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1874271678790660/
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