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A group of immigration advocates and affected individuals has gone to court to challenge a Trump administration decision that stopped the final processing of immigrant visas for applicants from dozens of countries.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Manhattan, contends that the policy effectively bars legal immigration based on nationality and is grounded in what the plaintiffs describe as an “unsupported and demonstrably false claim” that immigrants from the affected countries are more likely to rely on government assistance.
At the center of the case is a State Department directive issued in January and implemented on Jan. 21, which placed an open-ended freeze on the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 mostly non-European countries, among them Brazil, Russia, Iran, and Somalia. The government said the move was tied to concerns about future dependence on public benefits.
While applicants from those countries are still permitted to submit applications and attend consular interviews, the State Department has suspended the final approval and issuance of visas while it reviews how it applies its “public charge” standards.
Opponents argue that the policy represents one of the broadest limits on lawful immigration in years, saying it resurrects and significantly widens prior public-charge enforcement by applying it wholesale to entire countries rather than evaluating applicants on an individual basis. They warn that this approach raises serious statutory and constitutional issues.
According to the plaintiffs, internal cables and guidance from the State Department replaced the traditional case-by-case “public charge” review with a blanket refusal system based on nationality. The lawsuit alleges that the policy:
• Automatically blocks immigrant visa approvals for applicants from 75 designated countries.
• Instructs consular officials to enforce “public charge” findings in an inflexible manner, weighing factors such as benefit usage, health history, and income in ways the plaintiffs say exceed the limits set by Congress.
• Abandons the individualized determinations required by the Immigration and Nationality Act in favor of categorical denials tied to country of origin.
The suit asks the court to issue both temporary and permanent orders stopping the policy and to formally rule that it violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution.
One of the plaintiffs, a U.S. citizen from Long Island, says the policy has left him separated from his immediate family. After traveling to Guatemala for his wife’s visa interview, Cesar Andred Aguirre returned to the United States alone, while consular officials informed his wife, Dania Mariela Escobar, that she would not be permitted to come back with him, leaving her and their young daughter abroad.
{Matzav.com}It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shmaryahu Meltzer zt”l, one of the outstanding talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah of our generation, who devoted his entire life to Torah, avodah, and raising generations of bnei Torah. Rav Meltzer, Rosh Kollel of Beis Moshe and one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Simcha in Yerushalayim, was niftar today at the age of 90.
Rav Meltzer was born in the month of Sivan 5695 to his father, Rav Shmuel Avraham Meltzer, mechaber of Ashdos HaPisgah. His father was among the prominent talmidim of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz zt”l in Kamenitz, and later relocated to the United States, where he was moser nefesh to uphold Torah and shechitah during a turbulent period, standing firm against the pressures of the time.
Shortly after his marriage in Chicago to the daughter of Rav Chaim Zalman Frank zt”l, Rav Shmaryahu was appointed as a rebbi in a yeshiva ketanah. Even at a young age, his gadlus baTorah was already evident, and he received semichah lehoraah.
In later years, Rav Meltzer served for an extended period as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Itri, together with Rav Mordechai Elefant. He subsequently stood at the helm of Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah on Rechov Sorotzkin for many years. At the direction of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, and with the support of the philanthropist Morris Esformes, he founded Kollel Beis Moshe.
Many of his talmidim attributed their entire ruchniyus to the foundations he laid. Despite his stature, he walked humbly, learning with constant hasmadah and never holding himself above others.
Rav Meltzer was deeply connected to his rabbeim and would often recount what he heard from his father in the name of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz. He would repeat the teaching Rav Baruch Ber said in the name of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zt”l that one who educates his children merely to be an ehrlicher Yid is removing Torah from future generations; rather, a father must be mechanech his children to gadlus baTorah. Rav Meltzer lived this yesod, constantly instilling a drive for gadlus and ahavas Torah in all his talmidim.
He frequently spoke of his rabbeim in Eretz Yisroel and shared memories of his visits to Rav Shach and the Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky. His hasmadah was legendary. Those who entered his home would find him immersed in learning deep into the night, and at times until morning, with remarkable diligence and sweetness. His shiurim were clear and illuminating, opening the eyes of talmidim to true understanding and depth in the sugya.
Last Nissan, Rav Meltzer suffered a devastating personal loss with the petirah of his son, Rav Hillel Yosef Meltzer zt”l, one of the prominent talmidei chachamim of Petach Tikva and among the city’s rabbanim, who was niftar at the age of 57.
Rav Shmaryahu leaves behind sons and sons-in-law who are all talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah, among them Rav Yeshayah Nosson Meltzer, mechaber of numerous seforim in halachah; Rav Dov Gershon Meltzer, a marbitz Torah in the Mir; and his sons-in-law Rav Daniel Septner, a talmid muvhak of Rav Nochum Pertzovitz zt”l; Rav Yitzchak Eizik Silver, a dayan, moreh tzedek, and mechaber of seforim, widely known for Mishpetei HaShalom; Rav Yaakov Yerucham Katzenelbogen of Neve Yaakov; and Rav Eliezer Yehuda Shmulevitz, among the chashuvei avreichim of Kiryas Mattersdorf.
The levayah took place today at Yeshivas Toras Simcha on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim and proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com}A 34-year-old chosson collapsed Monday night during his wedding at an event hall in a kibbutz within the Gezer Regional Council and was evacuated to the hospital in serious condition following prolonged efforts to revive him.
According to a statement from United Hatzalah, medical teams from the organization were called to the scene after reports that a man had suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness in the midst of the simcha.
Ben Sinai, a United Hatzalah volunteer who was present at the wedding as one of the guests, described the dramatic moments inside the hall. “I was in the hall as one of the guests when I suddenly noticed a commotion and calls for help. I saw the chosson unconscious and without a pulse. I immediately called for assistance and began performing resuscitation together with other medics, including the use of the hall’s defibrillator. After prolonged resuscitation efforts, boruch Hashem, his heart began beating again,” he said.
The chosson was then transported by a mobile intensive care unit to the hospital, where his condition is currently described as serious.
The tzibbur is asked to be mispallel for hachosson Evyatar ben Vivian.
{Matzav.com}
