Human rights organizations characterized this measure as illegal discrimination that violates immigration law.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court after the State Department announced in January the suspension of processing immigration visas for citizens of the specified countries. The plaintiffs argue that this policy is based on unverified claims about the financial burden that migrants allegedly create for the U.S. social system.
“The restrictions specifically concern immigration visas that grant the right to permanent residence in the country. Although the submission of documents and interviews are still possible, the issuance of the visas themselves has been temporarily suspended pending a review of the procedure,” the statement said.
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The U.S. has suspended visa processing for 75 countries. Kyrgyzstan is on this list.
The applicants note that this decision exceeds the powers of the executive branch and contradicts immigration law. The lawsuit emphasizes that most categories of immigrants are not eligible for government assistance in the first years of residence in the U.S.
Earlier, U.S. authorities stated that these measures are aimed at strengthening control over the entry of citizens from countries considered high-risk in terms of potential financial burden on the budget. The restrictions will remain in place until additional guarantees of financial independence for arrivals are ensured.
The plaintiffs demand that this policy be declared illegal and that the authorities be compelled to resume visa issuance in the usual manner. As of now, the official position of the defendants regarding the lawsuit in court has not been made public.
