Savoj et al v. Blinken et al

On August 26, 2025, a group of plaintiffs led by an individual named Savoj filed a lawsuit in U.S. federal court against Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other government officials. The plaintiffs, including U.S. citizen sponsors and foreign national beneficiaries, alleged that the State Department unreasonably delayed adjudicating their visa applications. The complaint claimed the agency failed to perform its statutory duty within a reasonable time, causing severe hardships such as prolonged family separation and economic loss. The lawsuit sought a writ of mandamus and an order under the Administrative Procedure Act compelling the government to expedite processing of the backlogged applications, arguing that the delay was unjustified and unlawful.

The central dispute is whether the government's prolonged inaction on visa applications constitutes an unreasonable delay under the Administrative Procedure Act, and whether the doctrine of consular nonreviewability shields the delay from judicial intervention.

The case underscores growing judicial scrutiny of administrative delays in the immigration system, potentially setting a precedent for court-ordered mandates to compel executive action, thereby affecting thousands of families and employers grappling with visa backlogs.