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JANUARY 02, 2026
IMMIGRATION The Indian Eye 41

Trump has denigrated. continues to weaponize tragedies ket prohibitions. There are rational, Trump declared that Somalians were
The administration should not as a pretext to advance anti-immi- lawful reforms that could address the ‘garbage’ and that he wanted to ban
be using these unfortunate killings as grant policies that are unjust and challenges we face while also uphold- all immigration from ‘third world
a pretext to shut down immigration un-American. According to data ing our country’s commitment to our countries.’ Following the ban being
programs it disfavors.” from the Cato Institute, ‘over the Constitution and values. That’s what issued, the Department of Homeland
It should be noted that the Di- next three years 400,000 legal immi- we need now, not kneejerk reactions Security even described its restric-
versity Visa Program was established grants and nearly 1 million tourists, that will not make us safer.” tions on legal immigration as ‘slam-
by Congress and the President can- business travelers, international stu- The American Immigration ming the door shut on the foreign
not suspend the program, only Con- dents, foreign workers, and other Council, in a December 19, 2025 re- invaders who have undermined our
gress can. Stephen Yale-Loehr, of temporary visitors will face’ bans. We port, noted that: “Allegations of rac- national security.’ This rhetoric may
Miller Mayer, LLP, was quoted by need a system that invests in credible ism against African and Muslim im- provide opportunities for challengers
the New York Times in Trump Ad- intelligence and security measures migrants continue to linger over the seeking to block the bans in court.”
ministration Pauses Diversity Immi- that will actually make America saf- rationales offered in the latest ban, *Kaitlyn Box is a Partner at Cyrus D.
gration Program After Brown Shoot- er, rather than these kinds of blan- which came just days after President Mehta & Partners PLLC.
ing. He noted that the program was ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
created by Congress and presidents Cyrus D. Mehta, a graduate of Cambridge University and Columbia Law School, is the Managing Partner of Cyrus D.
“cannot unilaterally negate or termi- Mehta & Partners PLLC in New York City. Mr. Mehta is a member of AILA’s Administrative Litigation Task Force; AILA’s
nate an immigration program.”
He said that although the Trump EB-5 Committee; former chair of AILA’s Ethics Committee; special counsel on immigration matters to the Departmental
administration was likely to argue Disciplinary Committee, Appellate Division, First Department, New York; member of the ABA Commission on Immigra-
that the president could bar the en- tion; board member of Volunteers for Legal Services and board member of New York Immigration Coalition. Mr. Mehta
try of any foreign national who posed is the former chair of the Board of Trustees of the American Immigration Council and former chair of the Committee on
a national security risk, the courts Immigration and Nationality Law of the New York City Bar Association. He is a frequent speaker and writer on various
would have to decide whether that
authority allowed the president to immigration-related issues, including on ethics, and is also an adjunct professor of law at Brooklyn Law School, where he
suspend the diversity visa program teaches a course entitled Immigration and Work. Mr. Mehta received the AILA 2018 Edith Lowenstein Memorial Award
entirely. “This is another example of for advancing the practice of immigration law and the AILA 2011 Michael Maggio Memorial Award for his outstanding
the Trump administration acting first efforts in providing pro bono representation in the immigration field. He has also received two AILA Presidential Com-
and letting the courts figure out the mendations in 2010 and 2016. Mr. Mehta is ranked among the most highly regarded lawyers in North America by Who’s
legality later,” he said.
According to an AILA state- Who Legal – Corporate Immigration Law 2019 and is also ranked in Chambers USA and Chambers Global 2019 in
ment, “the Trump Administration immigration law, among other rankings.

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