Judge blocks Trump's pause on immigration processing for travel ban countries

A federal judge this week blocked the Trump administration's pause on processing immigration applications from countries subject to his myriad travel bans.

As of press time, President Donald Trump has imposed travel bans on a litany of countries, primarily in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Trump significantly escalated travel bans and immigration pauses in response to the shooting of two members of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., by an Afghan national last year.

U.S. District Court Judge Julia Kobick issued the ruling, asserting that the government had failed to link isolated instances of Afghan nationals committing crimes to the broader policies affecting more nations.

"With respect to the criminal acts planned or committed by Afghan nationals, the government makes no argument as to how two serious, but isolated, violent crimes planned by two people from one country is rationally connected with a policy stopping adjudication of benefit applications by people from 39 different countries, as well as applications for asylum by people from every country in the world," she said.

The ruling included a stay on several administrative policies, including the pause in immigration processing. The Trump administration is certain to appeal.

The case marks the latest legal battle over mass deportations, one of Trump's top campaign promises. The administration has estimated that as many as 22 million illegal aliens are currently in the United States.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.