Trump Administration visa pause affecting 39 countries ruled ‘unlawful' by federal judge

A U.S. federal judge has declared the Trump Administration’s visa pause policy unlawful.

Earlier, officials put an indefinite halt to the green card processing of immigrants from 39 countries subject to expanded travel restrictions.

The judge ruled out that the federal agencies can’t simply “decide not to adjudicate at all.”

In the 39-page ruling issued on Friday, April 24, and published on Monday, April 27, Maryland District Judge George L. Rusell III ordered U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume work on applications from 83 immigrant plaintiffs already living legally in the United States.

The judge supported the argument that the agency’s categorical pause, applied primarily on an applicant’s country of birth, was “arbitrary and capricious” and violated administrative law.

Russel wrote: “USCIS does not have discretion to decide not to adjudicate at all.”

This is one among many lawsuits against a USCIS policy similar to the State Department visa policies implemented by President Donald Trump’s broadened travel ban, effective January 1, 2026.

Project Press Unpause, a monitoring initiative, approximates USCIS fee collection in excess of $1 billion from more than 2 million applications that remain in limbo.