Beyond the 806
Federal judge blasts Rubio’s 75-country visa freeze as ‘Orwellian,’ strikes down policy - Fox News
A federal judge struck down Secretary of State Marco Rubio's freeze on immigrant visas from 75 countries Friday, ruling he lacked the legal authority to deny applicants who were otherwise found eligible to enter the United States. U.S.
U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas, a Biden appointee sitting in Manhattan, vacated the State Department policy entirely and threw out any visa refusals issued solely because of it. She ordered the government to take another look at those cases. Vargas called the policy contrary to law, writing as much in a 61-page opinion that found Rubio exceeded his statutory authority in issuing it. The State Department had enacted the freeze in January.
For people in Lubbock with family members abroad caught in that visa backlog, the ruling could mean stalled cases get a second review. Texas Tech draws students and faculty from countries around the world, and a blanket freeze across 75 nations would have touched a wide slice of that population. Whether those individuals see relief depends on how the government responds to the court's order.
Vargas used the word "Orwellian" in describing the policy, a pointed choice from a federal judge weighing in on one of the administration's broadest immigration moves since January.
Common questions
What did the judge rule about Rubio's visa freeze?
- U.S. District Judge Jeannette Vargas struck down the freeze entirely, ruling Rubio exceeded his legal authority. She vacated the State Department policy and ordered the government to reopen any visa cases that were denied solely because of the freeze.
Which countries were affected by the visa freeze?
- The State Department freeze covered immigrant visas from 75 countries. The policy was enacted in January, but the court's ruling vacated it entirely, meaning applicants who were otherwise found eligible to enter the U.S. had been unlawfully denied.
What does this ruling mean for Lubbock families waiting on visas?
- For Lubbock residents with family members abroad caught in the backlog, the ruling could mean stalled cases get a second look. The judge ordered the government to reconsider visa refusals issued solely because of the now-vacated freeze policy.
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