Judge Rules Trump Green Card Freeze Policy Unlawful

US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled on July 31 that a policy implemented by the United States Department of State to freeze green card applications from 75 countries was unlawful. The policy, introduced in January by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aimed to prevent immigrants from becoming dependent on public benefits. Judge Mehta found that the measure exceeded the department's authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act by stripping decision-making power from consular officers.

The ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Newton De Moura Gomes, a Brazilian national whose EB-5 investor visa application was stalled. While the court ordered the State Department to stop applying the freeze to the case of Gomes, other lawsuits challenging the policy remain pending in Washington and New York. The freeze affected nations including Nigeria, Colombia, Russia, and Egypt, though India was excluded.