A United States Federal Judge has struck down a controversial immigration policy introduced by the Donald Trump administration, which affected immigrants from 39 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
The ruling, delivered on Friday by John McConnell Jr. in Boston, declared that the policy was unlawful and improperly implemented by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The immigration measure was introduced following the shooting of two members of the National Guard last year and resulted in immigrants from the affected countries being denied final decisions on a wide range of applications, including asylum requests, work permits, permanent residency (green cards) and citizenship applications.
In a strongly worded judgment, Judge McConnell accused immigration authorities of exceeding their legal powers and using national security concerns as a cover for discriminatory policies.
He stated that the policy had thrown the lives of countless immigrants into uncertainty, leaving many applicants in prolonged legal limbo.
According to the judge, USCIS failed to provide adequate legal justification for its actions, ignored the interests of applicants who relied on existing immigration rules and acted in a manner that was “arbitrary and capricious.”
The court further held that the agency lacked the statutory authority it claimed to possess when implementing the restrictions.
McConnell wrote that the government’s reliance on national security arguments appeared to mask anti-immigrant sentiments, which he said should not influence official decision-making.
The ruling represents a significant setback for the Trump administration’s broader efforts to tighten immigration controls and limit access to immigration benefits.
The affected policy had effectively prevented immigrants from the 39 designated countries from obtaining decisions on critical immigration applications, leaving many unable to secure legal status, employment authorization or pathways to citizenship.
As of Friday evening, the Department of Homeland Security had not issued an official response to the court’s decision.
The latest judgment comes amid a series of legal battles over Trump administration immigration policies, several of which are currently before higher federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
Legal analysts say the administration is expected to appeal the decision, setting the stage for another major court confrontation over the scope of executive authority on immigration matters.
For thousands of immigrants whose applications have been stalled under the policy, the ruling offers renewed hope that their cases may now proceed through the normal immigration process.