Afghanistan, Aug. 22 -- A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, including Afghanistan, ruling that the measure exceeded the legal authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan described the policy as "patently unlawful," saying it conflicted with federal immigration law by categorically restricting immigrant visa issuance based on applicants' nationality.
The State Department introduced the suspension in January, affecting applicants from countries across South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Balkans. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh were among the c...