A federal judge struck down a $100,000 fee President Donald Trump ordered for H-1B visa applications, providing a reprieve for US technology companies that rely on hiring skilled foreign workers.
The president's decree dramatically increasing the cost of the popular visa is an unlawful tax and must be vacated, US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin in Massachusetts said in a Monday ruling. The government is likely to appeal the decision, which is a blow for the Trump administration's campaign to restrict immigration and boost demand for US workers.
Sorokin sided with California and 19 other states that sued to block the fee, agreeing that Trump lacked the authority to impose the hefty charge on businesses without approval by Congress.
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The case is one of at least three suits challenging the initiative. The US Chamber of Commerce and a nurse recruiting firm are pursuing two separate cases against the administration's policy. In December, a judge rejected the Chamber's request to block the fee and the Chamber appealed the decision to a federal appeals court in Washington.
The H-1B visa program is a cornerstone of employment-based immigration, allowing companies in the US to hire college-educated foreign workers for specialized occupations. In September, Trump signed a proclamation to increase the application fee to discourage companies from abusing a program that he claimed displaces US workers.
H-1B visas are awarded based on a lottery system, but are used primarily in the tech industry. Amazon.com Inc., Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., Microsoft Corp., Meta Platforms Inc. and Apple Inc. are among the companies with the greatest number of H-1B visas, according to the US government.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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