Federal Judge Halted: US Citizens Sue to Block Visa Ban Targeting 75 Nations
A group of US citizens, including New Yorkers with relatives from countries like Ghana, Jamaica, Guatemala, and Ethiopia, have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the Trump administration's visa ban targeting nationals from 75 countries. The ban, which was announced last month, has put nearly half of all visa applications on hold, including some that had already been approved.
The plaintiffs claim the policy is based on racial stereotypes and hostility towards non-white immigrants. They argue that the administration's claims about the high risk of "public charge" - or reliance on public benefits - are unfounded and used as a pretext to limit immigration from predominantly non-white countries.
President Trump has a history of disparaging immigrants from Latin American, Caribbean, African, and predominantly Muslim nations, which are well-represented among those on the visa-ban list. The plaintiffs point out that Trump has referred to these countries as "shithole," "filthy," and "disgusting," and has expressed a preference for white immigrants from nations like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, equal protection, and due process claims. It was filed by groups such as the National Immigration Law Center, the Legal Aid Society, and the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of 11 individuals suing on behalf of immigrant family members.
One plaintiff is Agnes Kyeremaa, a New York City resident who petitioned on behalf of her four adult sons and daughters and grandchildren from Ghana. Her children's visas were approved but were refused due to Ghana being one of the banned countries.
Another plaintiff, Patricia Richardson, is seeking to block the visa ban for her Jamaican national sister, who had an approved visa but was denied entry due to Jamaica being on the list.
The group African Communities Together described the 75-country visa ban as "unlawful and racist" that disproportionately harms Africans seeking to immigrate to the US.
A group of US citizens, including New Yorkers with relatives from countries like Ghana, Jamaica, Guatemala, and Ethiopia, have filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to block the Trump administration's visa ban targeting nationals from 75 countries. The ban, which was announced last month, has put nearly half of all visa applications on hold, including some that had already been approved.
The plaintiffs claim the policy is based on racial stereotypes and hostility towards non-white immigrants. They argue that the administration's claims about the high risk of "public charge" - or reliance on public benefits - are unfounded and used as a pretext to limit immigration from predominantly non-white countries.
President Trump has a history of disparaging immigrants from Latin American, Caribbean, African, and predominantly Muslim nations, which are well-represented among those on the visa-ban list. The plaintiffs point out that Trump has referred to these countries as "shithole," "filthy," and "disgusting," and has expressed a preference for white immigrants from nations like Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, equal protection, and due process claims. It was filed by groups such as the National Immigration Law Center, the Legal Aid Society, and the Center for Constitutional Rights on behalf of 11 individuals suing on behalf of immigrant family members.
One plaintiff is Agnes Kyeremaa, a New York City resident who petitioned on behalf of her four adult sons and daughters and grandchildren from Ghana. Her children's visas were approved but were refused due to Ghana being one of the banned countries.
Another plaintiff, Patricia Richardson, is seeking to block the visa ban for her Jamaican national sister, who had an approved visa but was denied entry due to Jamaica being on the list.
The group African Communities Together described the 75-country visa ban as "unlawful and racist" that disproportionately harms Africans seeking to immigrate to the US.
! these ppl r fightin for their rights & it's beautiful to see. I mean, think about it, 75 countries, that's like half the world, bein targeted by this visa ban. it's not just about the immigrants themselves, but also their families & communities who are sufferin' cuz of one man's hatred 
. we gotta stand with these plaintiffs & fight against racism in all its forms. justice should be for everyone, regardless of skin color or nationality 
so trump's a shithole, literally 
now he's trying to turn america into a country for white people only? like, what's next? a visa ban just for folks with curly hair? 
and these people are suing him because they think it's racial profiling... but at the same time, can you blame them? i mean, who wouldn't want to sue trump after all the stuff he's said about immigrants? 
and what's up with the 75-country limit? is that just a random number or did they actually choose these countries for a reason? 
. i mean, i get it, he wants to "make america great" and all that, but come on, how's that gonna work when you're keeping out people who are trying to build a life here 
? my friend's cousin is from guatemala and she can barely afford to live in this country 
. anyone else feel like we're just gonna keep running around in circles with no real solution 
This is getting crazy! The fact that we have to take a lawsuit to block this visa ban targeting almost half of all visa applicants from 75 countries is just wild 
. It's not right to use racism as a defense for your own policies 
.
... can't we just have a straightforward conversation without all the drama? So, the latest thing with Trump's visa ban - 75 countries, whoa! 
they're suing for racial stereotypes and stuff, which is basically discrimination right? shouldn't we be all equal in america? like, trump said some pretty hurtful things about latino americans and african people, that's not okay... 
. I mean, can you even imagine if your family member was from one of those countries and now they're not allowed to visit or even live in the US? 
It's like, what's the point of a country if we're just going to keep people out based on where they're from? 
this is such a crazy thing... I mean, can you imagine if it was your family member or friend who got denied because of where they're from? it's not just about the policy itself, but how it affects real people's lives and families 
it's about time someone stood up for what's right. We need more people like Agnes Kyeremaa, speaking out against this kind of discriminatory policy 
It's so messed up that people from Ghana, Jamaica, and Ethiopia are being singled out just because of their nationality. And the fact that their visas were already approved and then suddenly denied is just crazy 
. I got a cousin from Ghana who's been living in the States for years and now she's stuck 
... it's just not fair 
.
as an excuse to target people of color 
. I mean, come on, who do they think they are? The plaintiffs in this lawsuit are right on point 
... it's all about systemic racism and xenophobia 
.
. It's crazy that a country like the US can't even treat its own immigrants with some basic respect 
... Fingers crossed for my Ghanaian cousin and all the others who are affected 
!
my ghanian fam members are literally livin their worst nightmare right now, i mean whats the point of even having a family if u cant visit each other? 
let's hope justice is served soon!
but at the same time, i get why the US government would want to keep an eye on things - just don't go making assumptions based on skin color or where people're from 
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