Judge Blocks Trump's $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee

US District Judge Haywood Gilliam blocked a $100,000 fee imposed by Donald Trump on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. In a ruling issued in Oakland, California, Gilliam found that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and the United States Department of State failed to follow required rule-making processes before implementing the charge.

This decision marks the second time a federal judge has blocked the fee, following a similar ruling in Boston in June. Trump had extended the fee for another year after its original expiration on September 21, arguing the measure prevents businesses from replacing American workers with cheaper foreign labor.

While the U.S. Department of Homeland Security moved to adopt a permanent fee of approximately $103,000 in August, current legal challenges focus on the president's authority to set the initial fee unilaterally. The injunction was secured by Democracy Forward, which represents a coalition of nonprofits, employers, and unions.