US Judge Strikes Down Visa Restrictions Imposed Against African Countries by Trump‘s Administration
- A US judge has struck down immigration restrictions imposed by Donald Trump’s administration, ruling they unlawfully blocked applicants from 39 countries
- Judge John McConnell said the November 2025 policy left thousands of immigrants in “indeterminate legal limbo” without work or legal status
- The decision is a major win for immigrant support groups and labour unions who challenged the measures
A federal judge in the United States has overturned sweeping immigration processing restrictions introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration in November 2025.
The ruling is seen as a major victory for immigrant support groups and labour unions.
Source: Getty Images
Immigration restrictions on 39 countries
According to Al Jazeera, district Judge John McConnell ruled that the measures unlawfully blocked applicants from 39 countries, mainly in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, from receiving decisions on asylum, work permits, green cards, and citizenship applications.
The restrictions were introduced after the Washington, DC shooting of two National Guard members. However, McConnell said the policy had no legal basis and unfairly targeted people because of their country of birth.
Judge condemns National security claims
In his ruling on Friday, McConnell criticised the Trump administration’s justification for the restrictions, stating that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) relied on “pretextual concerns of ‘national security’ that mask anti-immigrant sentiments.”
He added:
“USCIS’s hold on adjudications cannot be attributed to anything that these individuals did wrong; rather, it arises solely by the happenstance of their birth.”
McConnell noted that many immigrants were left “without work, without legal status, and without any meaningful ability to plan for their futures” more than six months after the restrictions were imposed.
Impact on immigrants and communities
The ruling highlighted how the policy “threw the lives of countless immigrants living in the United States into indeterminate legal limbo.” Families, workers, and asylum seekers were unable to move forward with their lives, leaving communities across the country struggling.
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, welcomed the decision, saying: “These unlawful policies caused enormous harm to families, workers, asylum seekers, and communities across the country who were left in limbo, unable to work, access protections, or move forward with their lives.
Source: Getty Images
Wider immigration policy moves
The Trump administration has also:
- Reduced refugee admissions to historically low levels, initially setting the cap at 7,500 before raising it by 10,000.
- Paused immigrant visas from 75 countries in January, citing concerns about reliance on US social services.
- Prioritised relocation of White Afrikaners, a move widely criticised as discriminatory.
The decision reaffirms that lawful immigration pathways cannot be shut down based on nationality. It marks a significant pushback against policies that immigrant advocates say were designed to restrict legal immigration rather than address genuine security concerns.
US restricts visa for many countries
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States Mission in Nigeria has given a fresh update on visa rules, stating that restrictions are not permanent. The US mission added that travel policies are subject to periodic review based on evolving global conditions and security needs.
According to the US mission, visa rules are part of a broader framework designed to ensure safe and orderly travel. This is contained in a statement issued via its X handle @USinNigeria on Monday, March 30, 2026.
Source: Legit.ng
