A major relief has emerged for many—including Bangladeshis—who were affected by the visa ban policy in the United States. A federal court in Massachusetts ruled last Thursday that the Trump administration’s policy of suspending immigration applications is unlawful and issued an injunction blocking its enforcement. The policy had directly impacted
citizens from several countries, including Bangladesh.
On December 16 last year, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation expanding the list of countries subject to the travel ban from 19 to 39. The policy came into effect on January 1, 2026. Bangladesh was included in this expanded list, which primarily covered
Muslim-majority, Black-majority, and Southeast Asian countries.
Bangladesh fell under a “partial restriction” category, under which immigrant visa processing was completely suspended. However, non-immigrant visas—such as tourist, student, and work visas—were not entirely halted. Additionally, under a separate suspension policy effective January 21, 2026, Bangladesh was included among 75 countries
for which immigrant visa processing was indefinitely paused.
The Trump administration justified the measures by claiming that the listed countries had significant deficiencies in security screening and information-sharing. The stated goal was to prevent entry of individuals who could pose security risks. However, legal experts argue that the administration failed to establish a clear link between the sweeping
visa restrictions and national security concerns.
U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick, appointed by former President Joe Biden, ruled that the policy violated the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which prohibit nationality-based discrimination. She further stated that suspending asylum and citizenship applications contradicts explicit congressional mandates requiring timely decisions on such cases.
The lawsuit was filed by more than 200 plaintiffs whose immigration applications had been stalled. Due to the executive actions, many applicants were left in prolonged uncertainty regarding green cards, citizenship, asylum, and work authorization.
In her ruling, the judge questioned the logic of halting thousands of applications indefinitely based on isolated incidents involving individuals. She emphasized that U.S. immigration authorities, including USCIS, do not have the legal authority to delay applications
indefinitely under the pretext of investigation.
This decision brings immediate relief to many applicants from Bangladesh and other affected countries who had been waiting months without updates on their immigration cases. However, experts caution that the Trump administration may appeal the ruling in a higher court.
Notably, the policy did not include any waiver provisions for urgent humanitarian cases, which had caused significant hardship for families. The court’s ruling now opens a pathway for legal protection and renewed hope for those affected.
