US judge blocks Trump-era immigration policies affecting applicants from 39 countries

WASHINGTON: A federal judge has struck down a series of immigration policies adopted by the administration of US President Donald Trump that halted the processing of asylum, work permit, green card and citizenship applications for people from 39 countries.

Chief US District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island ruled on Friday that the policies implemented by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) left immigrants from dozens of countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East in prolonged legal uncertainty without lawful authority.

The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed in March by a coalition of immigrant service organisations and labour unions challenging the measures. The plaintiffs argued that the policies unlawfully suspended immigration benefit applications based solely on applicants' countries of origin.

In his decision, McConnell said affected immigrants had complied with legal immigration procedures established by Congress and USCIS regulations but were left waiting for months without decisions on their applications.

The judge said USCIS lacked statutory and regulatory authority to adopt the policies and concluded that the measures were influenced by considerations that immigration authorities were prohibited from using in decision-making.

The policies were introduced as part of a broader immigration crackdown following the November shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Prosecutors have alleged that the attack was carried out by Afghan immigrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who has pleaded not guilty.

Following the incident, Trump announced plans to suspend migration from what he described as "Third World Countries" and expanded the list of nations subject to full or partial travel restrictions to 39 countries.

Countries affected by full travel bans included Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, Somalia, Venezuela and Syria. The administration defended the restrictions on security and vetting grounds.

According to the ruling, USCIS subsequently suspended the processing of immigration benefit applications from nationals of those countries, placing numerous applicants in legal limbo.

McConnell said the agency's actions violated immigration laws enacted by Congress as well as administrative laws governing federal agencies. He ordered the policies set aside, finding that USCIS had failed to follow the legal framework under which it operates.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment on the ruling.

The decision marks a legal setback for the administration's immigration enforcement policies and a victory for the organisations that challenged the measures in court.