Travel Ban Lifted 2026: Judge Strikes Down USCIS & State Dept 39-Country Restriction

On Friday, June 5, 2026, a federal judge issued a ruling lifting the travel ban imposed by USCIS and the US Department of State that had affected nationals from 39 countries. The decision marks a major development for thousands of immigration applicants whose cases had been complicated or stalled by the restrictions. The ruling directly impacts EB-3 employment-based immigration applicants from the affected countries, many of whom had been unable to travel, attend consular interviews, or complete visa processing steps. The court order restores normal processing pathways for these individuals through both USCIS and the Department of State. For EB-3 applicants currently in the United States, the lifted ban may remove barriers to advance parole travel and consular processing. Those abroad who had been blocked from attending immigrant visa appointments at US embassies or consulates in third countries may now be able to reschedule. Practitioners and applicants are advised to monitor official USCIS and Department of State announcements for implementation guidance, as agencies will need time to operationalize the court's order. Processing queues at consular posts may experience increased demand in the near term. This ruling represents a significant policy reversal driven by judicial oversight of executive immigration authority, and its long-term implications will depend on whether the government appeals the decision.