Court Strikes Down the 75-Country Immigrant Visa Pause — What It Changes in Texas
On August 21, 2026, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York held that the State Department policy pausing immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries was contrary to law and exceeded the Secretary of State’s authority. The court vacated the policy and set aside visa refusals that rested on it alone. The list of 75 countries includes Afghanistan, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria and Pakistan — countries with long-established communities across Texas. Two things are worth separating: what the court ordered, and what has actually been published since. As of this writing the State Department page describing the pause still carries a February 2, 2026 update date, and the government has the ability to appeal.
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