Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Restrictions on H-1B Visa Program

<p>On June 8, 2026, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to impose restrictions on the H-1B visa program, stating that the action constituted an unlawful tax. Judge Leo Sorokin of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts ruled that the policy violated both the federal Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution, as it encroached upon Congress's exclusive power to tax.</p><p>In September 2025, Trump had imposed a $100,000 application fee for H-1B visas, an increase from the previous fees that ranged from $2,000 to $5,000, in an effort to limit the number of foreign workers in the U.S. Sorokin ruled in favor of 20 Democrat-led states that challenged the fee, asserting that it exceeded the fee-setting authority granted to the executive branch by Congress.</p><p>The Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling. The H-1B program, established in 1990, allows U.S. employers to temporarily hire skilled foreign workers for up to six years. The program is particularly important for tech and finance companies, which rely on immigrant skills. According to data referenced by Trump, the number of foreign STEM workers in the U.S. increased from 1.2 million to nearly 2.5 million between 2000 and 2019, with a 44.5% increase in overall STEM employment. Approximately two-thirds of H-1B jobs are in computer-related fields.</p><p>Trump has claimed that the H-1B program has been exploited to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign labor, arguing that this practice suppresses wages and creates a disadvantageous labor market for U.S. citizens. Following the ruling, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stated that Trump has the legal authority to restrict the entry of foreign workers deemed not in the best interests of the country.</p>