Donald Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa payment is illegal, US choose guidelines | World Information
2 min learnBostonJun 8, 2026 11:39 PM IST
A federal choose on Monday struck down a $100,000 payment that US President Donald Trump imposed on new H-1B visas for extremely expert international employees, concluding that it constituted an illegal tax that Congress by no means licensed.
US District Decide Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the ruling in a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys common difficult a payment Trump introduced in September that dramatically raised the price of acquiring H-1B visas. The H-1B program affords 65,000 visas yearly, with one other 20,000 visas for employees with superior levels, accredited for 3 to 6 years. Employers looking for a visa for a international employee earlier than Trump’s proclamation usually paid about $2,000 to $5,000 in charges relying on numerous components.
The rise in charges has discouraged H-1B visa requests, in keeping with court docket filings. As of February 15, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Companies had acquired simply 85 funds of the $100,000 payment, the administration stated in a March submitting.
The administration argued that the payment constituted a financial penalty that the president had lawful authority to impose underneath federal immigration legislation to limit the entry of sure international nationals. However Sorokin, who was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, concluded that the payment was not a penalty however a tax that the Republican president lacked any authorization from Congress to difficulty.
“Right here, the substance and utility of the $100,000 fee reveal that it’s a tax, no matter what the fee known as,” he wrote.
The White Home didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
