The decision was made based on a petition filed last March by organizations and labor unions working in immigration services.
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A federal judge on Saturday overturned the Trump administration's policy that tightened immigration for citizens of 39 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
U.S. District Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. in Providence, Rhode Island, said the policy was unconstitutional. He said in his order that "this policy has jeopardized the lives of countless immigrants living in the United States." He also said that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ignored the law.
President Donald Trump signed it in December last year. The federal government's policy made it difficult for citizens of 39 countries to seek asylum in the United States, get work permits, get green cards and apply for citizenship. The ruling was based on a petition filed last March by organizations and labor unions working with immigration services.
He also concluded that USCIS exercised legal and regulatory authority it did not have in implementing recent immigration policies. He ordered USCIS to cease its unlawful, arbitrary, and destabilizing actions.
“This order reaffirms our commitment to fundamental principles that the federal government cannot block legal immigration pathways or discriminate against people based on where they come from,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, which fought the lawsuit on behalf of the victims. “These unlawful policies have created uncertainty for families, workers, asylum seekers, and communities. They have been unable to work, seek protection, or advance their lives.”
USCIS, an agency under the Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for granting asylum to people living in the United States.
Shev Dalal Dheny, senior director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the ruling would give people from countries subject to travel bans a sense of security.
“This is a significant legal victory. It will keep legal immigration pathways open and ensure that USCIS is held accountable,” she said.
Immigrant groups have welcomed the ruling.
“This ruling sets a powerful precedent that no administration can ignore the laws made by Congress and deny immigration benefits based on nationality,” said Jamal Abdi, president of the Iranian American Council.
