The US court has overturned the ban on issuing immigration visas to citizens of 75 countries, which had been in effect since January 21. Judge Janet Vargas ruled that the policy was illegal and was enacted beyond the authority of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Vargas also annulled all visa denials that were based solely on this decision.
The US government may appeal the court's ruling. Since January 21, the issuance of immigration visas had been temporarily suspended for countries including Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Uzbekistan. The US State Department classified these countries as 'high-risk,' justifying the decision with concerns that immigrants might take advantage of social benefits or become a 'burden on society.'
