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

A US federal judge has rejected a legal challenge to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, ruling that the move falls within the president’s broad authority to regulate immigration.

US District Judge Beryl Howell, based in Washington, DC, dismissed arguments made by the US Chamber of Commerce, which claimed the steep fee violates federal immigration law and would force companies, hospitals, and other employers to cut jobs and services.

“The parties’ vigorous debate over the ultimate wisdom of this political judgment is not within the province of the courts,” Howell wrote, adding that as long as the policy complies with the law, it must be upheld.

The Chamber of Commerce said the ruling would hurt small and medium-sized businesses that cannot afford such high visa costs.

“We are disappointed in the court’s decision and are considering further legal options to ensure that the H-1B program operates as Congress intended,” said Daryl Joseffer, the Chamber’s executive vice president and chief counsel.

The H-1B visa program allows US employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers in specialised fields, with technology companies among its biggest users.

The program issues 65,000 visas annually, along with an additional 20,000 for applicants holding advanced degrees, typically valid for three to six years.

Until now, H-1B visa fees generally ranged between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on various factors. Trump’s order dramatically increases that cost, prompting the Chamber to argue that businesses would be forced to either absorb sharply higher labour expenses or reduce hiring of skilled foreign workers.

Separate lawsuits challenging the fee have also been filed by a group of Democratic-led states and a coalition of employers, non-profits, and religious organisations.

In defending the policy, Trump cited his authority under federal immigration law to block the entry of foreign nationals deemed detrimental to US interests.

Judge Howell said the administration had sufficiently supported its claim that the H-1B program was displacing American workers, pointing to cases where companies laid off thousands of US employees while continuing to seek H-1B visas.