FULL LIST: US court overturns Trump visa restrictions on Nigeria, 74 other countries

A United States District Court in Manhattan has struck down a Donald Trump administration policy that suspended the processing and issuance of immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, including Nigeria.

In a ruling delivered on Friday, U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas declared the January directive issued by the State Department unlawful, ruling that it exceeded the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The policy, which took effect on January 21, halted the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries on the grounds that they posed “a high risk for becoming a public charge” by relying on U.S. government financial assistance.

The affected countries are Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Yemen.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump released data on welfare dependency rates among immigrant households, stating that about 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households received some form of public assistance.

Under the directive, visa applications could also be refused for older or overweight applicants, as well as those with a history of receiving government cash assistance or institutionalisation.

Delivering the judgment, Judge Vargas, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled that the suspension conflicted with federal immigration law, which assigns authority over consular processing of immigrant visas outside the Secretary of State’s powers.

“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,” she wrote.

The lawsuit was filed by immigrant rights organisations, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network and African Communities Together, along with U.S. citizens sponsoring family members and visa applicants from the affected countries.

According to court filings, the State Department had issued a cable to U.S. missions in January directing consular officers to refuse applicants whose visas had been “print-authorized” but had not yet been printed.

The department said the suspension formed part of a comprehensive review aimed at strengthening screening and vetting procedures while preventing foreign nationals from relying on U.S. welfare programmes.

“Applicants from these countries are at a high risk for becoming a public charge and recourse to local, state and federal government resources in the United States,” the cable stated.

Defending the policy at the time, 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.

“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.”

Since returning to office in January, President Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown, saying the measures are intended to strengthen domestic security and tighten immigration enforcement.

Here are the 75 countries

The policy affected 75 countries. They are:

1. Afghanistan

2. Albania

3. Algeria

4. Antigua and Barbuda

5. Armenia

6. Azerbaijan

7. Bahamas

8. Bangladesh

9. Barbados

10. Belarus

11. Belize

12. Bhutan

13. Bosnia and Herzegovina

14. Brazil

15. Cambodia

16. Cameroon

17. Cape Verde

18. Colombia

19. Cuba

20. Dominica

21. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo)

22. Egypt

23. Eritrea

24. Ethiopia

25. Fiji

26. Gambia

27. Georgia

28. Ghana

29. Grenada

30. Guatemala

31. Guinea

32. Haiti

33. Iran

34. Iraq

35. Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire)

36. Jamaica

37. Jordan

38. Kazakhstan

39. Kosovo

40. Kuwait

41. Kyrgyzstan

42. Laos

43. Lebanon

44. Liberia

45. Libya

46. Moldova

47. Mongolia

48. Montenegro

49. Morocco

50. Myanmar

51. Nepal

52. Nicaragua

53. Nigeria

54. North Macedonia

55. Pakistan

56. Republic of the Congo

57. Russia

58. Rwanda

59. Saint Kitts and Nevis

60. Saint Lucia

61. Senegal

62. Sierra Leone

63. Somalia

64. South Sudan

65. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

66. Sudan

67. Syria

68. Tanzania

69. Thailand

70. Togo

71. Tunisia

72. Uganda

73. Uruguay

74. Uzbekistan

75. Yemen