US Court Overturns Immigration Visa Restrictions for Belarusians
A federal court in New York state has ruled unlawful and overturned a US State Department decision to suspend the issuance of immigrant visas to citizens of 75 countries, Reuters reports . Belarus was also on this list.
The restrictions came into effect in January 2026. Besides Belarus, they affected citizens of Russia, Brazil, Colombia, Uruguay, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and several countries in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean region.
The US State Department explained the decision by stating that some immigrants could become a "public charge" — meaning they might rely on financial and other resources from federal, regional, or local US authorities.
However, the ban applied only to immigrant visas, which are issued for permanent relocation to the USA. It did not extend to non-immigrant visas, including tourist and business visas.
Federal Judge Jeanette Vargas concluded that the State Department had exceeded its authority. In her view, US immigration law does not permit the Secretary of State to effectively halt the issuance of immigrant visas to citizens of dozens of countries solely based on their nationality.
The judge declared the State Department's policy patently unlawful and ordered its revocation.
The restrictions were challenged by human rights and immigrant advocacy organizations, immigrant visa applicants, and US citizens who sponsored relatives from the listed countries.
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