Judge blocks Trump’s $100,000 foreign worker visa fee A US federal judge has invalidated President Trump’s $100,000 surcharge on new H-1B visa petitions, stating the administration lacked the authority to impose such a fee without congressional approval. The fee was intended to protect American jobs and curb abuse of the skilled-worker visa program. Twenty states challenged the policy, arguing the fee was an unlawful tax that would harm institutions relying on foreign professionals.

• A US federal judge struck down President Trump’s $100,000 fee on new skilled-worker visas (H-1B petitions).
• The judge ruled the White House could not impose the fee without Congressional approval, calling it a tax.
• The fee was intended to curb abuse of the program and protect American jobs.
• Twenty states challenged the policy, arguing it was unlawful and would harm public institutions.
• The Department of Homeland Security denounced the ruling as “blatant judicial activism.”