Dozens of Green Card Applicants Sue Trump Admin After Process Derailed
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Dozens of Iranian employment-based green card applicants filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleging that a new presidential travel ban has unlawfully derailed their immigration process.
Why This Matters
The plaintiffs allege that although the ban theoretically allows for national interest exceptions, in practice, none have been granted to date. The complaint forms part of a broader legal pushback against recent Trump administration immigration measures, which have included heightened scrutiny of green card applicants and sweeping changes to application procedures.
Newsweek contacted the State Department and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for comment via email.
What To Know
The legal complaint, submitted on Friday, challenges a proclamation issued by President Donald Trump on June 4, which restricts entry to the United States for individuals from Iran and 18 other countries.
The pending case, Ariani v. Blinken, asks the court to compel the State Department to adjudicate applications that, according to the plaintiffs, should not be blocked while the ban is being challenged.
The group of 33 plaintiffs includes pilots, medical researchers and experts in artificial intelligence and machine learning—sectors often highlighted as critical to U.S. innovation and national interest—according to Bloomberg Law. Despite having completed consular interviews, these individuals remain in limbo because of administrative delays compounded by the travel ban.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reviewing lists of names and hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse in New York before making arrests on June 27.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reviewing lists of names and hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse in New York before making arrests on June 27.
BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images
Lawyers for the group, represented by immigration attorneys at Red Eagle Law LC in San Diego, said the Department of Homeland Security already deemed the plaintiffs' entry to be in the national interest, yet they have faced indefinite postponement and uncertainty.
The suit argues that the policy exceeds the president's legal authority and seeks both a reversal of the ban and immediate decisions from the State Department on their pending visa applications.
Newsweek contacted Red Eagle Law for comment via email and social media.
Travel Ban and National Interest Exception
The president's June proclamation, which updated already strict vetting policies, said exceptions would be made for those whose U.S. entry served the national interest.
However, the lawsuit alleges that not one exception has been processed for this plaintiff group, creating a de facto blanket ban.
Broader Changes Affecting Green Card Seekers
The Trump administration has rolled out additional policy changes affecting legal immigrants.
On June 11, USCIS instituted a rule requiring all green card applicants to submit a renewed medical examination form with their applications, regardless of prior compliance. The adjustment, which immediately went into effect, removed previous grace periods and could require applicants caught in administrative delays to repeat medical exams—at an extra cost of $100 to $500 per test.
Legal Backdrop: Multiple Lawsuits Challenge Administration's Immigration Moves
The complaint by the Iranian green card applicants joins a series of legal actions brought against the Trump administration's immigration executive orders and policies.
These include challenges to travel bans, restrictions on health coverage and procedural barriers that lawyers argue violate established statutes or constitutional protections.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services wrote on X on May 5: "Green cards and visas will be revoked if an alien breaks the law."
It said in a later post: "USCIS works alongside our @DHSgov and @StateDept partners each day to keep America, and Americans, safe. From designating foreign terrorist organizations to imposing sanctions, we're taking action to protect and secure our nation for your families, friends, and future."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March: "If you apply for a student visa to come to the United States and you say you're coming not just to study, but to participate in movements that vandalize universities, harass students, take over buildings, and cause chaos, we're not giving you that visa."
What Happens Next
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is set to decide whether the State Department must review the plaintiffs' applications and whether the travel ban can be reversed or amended for national interest waivers.
The outcome may influence other pending cases where legal immigrants allege that new Trump administration directives have unlawfully disrupted their paths to permanent residency.
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