A US federal judge on Monday blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, halting a key element of his immigration policy.
District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the measure overstepped presidential authority, saying it effectively amounted to taxation powers reserved for Congress under the US Constitution.
The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of 20 Democratic-led states, challenging what they described as an unlawful attempt to reshape the skilled visa system.
Sorokin said the proposed charge was not a routine administrative fee but an excessive financial levy that functioned as an illegal tax.
The ruling delivers a major setback for the administration and a relief for technology companies that depend heavily on highly skilled foreign workers.
Trump introduced the policy last September, arguing that the H-1B lottery system had been misused to replace American technology workers.
The proposal would have raised the cost of an application from a maximum of about $5,000 to $100,000 per petition.
The administration defended the plan as necessary to protect US jobs and strengthen safeguards for domestic workers.
However, tech industry leaders warned it could restrict access to global talent and harm innovation in the US economy.
The case highlights an ongoing legal and political battle over the limits of executive power in immigration policy.
The ruling also carries global implications, with Indian nationals making up nearly three-quarters of the roughly 85,000 H-1B visas issued annually.