US court blocks Trump’s visa ban affecting Nigeria, 74 other countries [FULL LIST]

A federal court in the United States has blocked a controversial immigration policy implemented by former President Donald Trump that halted immigrant visa processing for Nigerian citizens and nationals from 74 other countries.

U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas issued the ruling on Friday in the Southern District of New York, declaring that the policy, enacted by the U.S. Department of State in January, was unlawful and exceeded the powers granted to Secretary of State Marco Rubio under federal immigration law.

The policy had prevented the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from a total of 75 countries. The Trump administration had defended the measure, citing concerns that immigrants from the affected nations might become dependent on public assistance upon their arrival in the United States.

Nigeria was identified as one of the African nations impacted by the order. Other countries included in the ban were Ghana, Cameroon, Gambia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Togo, Tunisia, as well as nations from Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.

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