Judge Overturns Trump's Unlawful H-1B Visa Fee

A federal judge struck down a $100,000 fee set by former President Trump for H-1B visas. The judge deemed it an unauthorized tax lacking Congressional approval. The decision was in response to a lawsuit by 20 Democratic state attorneys general challenging the fee's legality and its impact on visa applications.

In a significant legal decision, a federal judge invalidated a $100,000 fee imposed by former President Donald Trump on H-1B visas, citing it as an unauthorized tax without Congressional approval. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general.

The H-1B program, which annually offers 65,000 visas, saw a cost hike announced by Trump in September, discouraging visa requests. Typically, employers paid $2,000 to $5,000 before the fee hike. As of mid-February, only 85 payments of the $100,000 fee were recorded, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The administration argued the fee was a lawful penalty under federal immigration law, but Judge Sorokin, appointed by President Obama, asserted it was a tax unauthorized by Congress. The White House has yet to comment on the ruling.