Senior Correspondent, Dhaka:
A US federal court ruling striking down the Trump administration’s suspension of immigrant visa issuance for applicants from 75 countries, including Bangladesh, could offer relief to Bangladeshi families waiting to reunite with relatives in the United States.
US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan ruled that the policy exceeded the authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling the January measure “patently unlawful” and inconsistent with federal immigration law.
The policy had suspended immigrant visa issuance for Bangladeshi applicants along with applicants from Pakistan and several countries across Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, the Balkans and the Caribbean. The State Department had argued that applicants from the affected countries posed a higher risk of becoming a public charge and relying on government resources.
For Bangladesh, the ruling is significant because immigrant visa applicants—including those seeking to join close family members in the United States—had faced uncertainty since the suspension took effect. A court-ordered reversal could allow affected applications to move forward, depending on further legal proceedings and instructions from the State Department.
The decision also challenges the administration’s use of nationality as a basis for imposing a blanket visa restriction. Judge Vargas found that categorically blocking immigrant visas based on nationality conflicted with the statutory system established by Congress.
However, Bangladeshi applicants should not assume that visa issuance will immediately resume. The US government could appeal the decision or seek other legal measures, potentially delaying implementation.
The case also reflects a wider debate over the limits of executive power in US immigration policy. While the administration cites economic and security concerns, rights groups argue that broad nationality-based restrictions can undermine due process.
For Bangladeshis with pending immigrant visa cases, the ruling is therefore an encouraging development, but its practical benefits will depend on how the US government implements the decision and whether further appeals follow.
