U.S. State Department issues few visas following 75-country pause ruling

Despite a federal court ruling striking down the Trump administration’s immigrant visa pause for 75 countries, visa processing remains significantly delayed. Court records indicate that between August 21 and September 30, the State Department approved or issued only 318 immigrant visas out of more than 43,000 applications affected by the original pause.

While the ban officially ceased to apply on August 21, 2026, applications previously refused under the policy are not automatically reopened. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently issued a temporary block on an order that would have required the State Department to reconsider previously refused applications.

Legal representatives for affected migrants argue that the administration is slow-walking the process, leaving many families in bureaucratic limbo. Some applicants, such as those from Colombia, report that even after the ban was lifted, they face continued delays and requests for additional evidence regarding their ability to avoid becoming a public charge.