A federal judge struck down a U.S. State Department policy on August 21, 2026, that suspended immigrant visa processing for 75 countries. The court ruled the blanket, nationality-based freeze was unlawful and exceeded the Secretary of State's authority.
The ruling orders the government to reconsider affected applications individually. This decision removes a major barrier for Cognizant employees seeking permanent residency and stable immigration status.
While H-1B visa caps for temporary skilled workers remain unchanged, the ruling reduces talent acquisition risks for the global services firm.