A federal judge in the Southern District of New York struck down a Trump administration policy, announced in January 2026 and effective January 21, that had paused immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries, including Afghanistan, Brazil, and Yemen, citing concerns about public-charge risk. In Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. v. Rubio, Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled the policy exceeded the Secretary of State's statutory authority and violated the Immigration and Nationality Act's prohibition on nationality-based discrimination in visa issuance. The court treated the case as a facial challenge to the policy itself, finding it functioned as a blanket refusal system rather than an individualized eligibility review, and set aside visa denials based solely on the policy.