A U.S. District Judge in Boston has struck down a $100,000 [1] fee on new H-1B visas, declaring the charge unlawful and invalid.
The ruling removes a significant financial barrier for foreign professionals seeking to work in the United States. Because the H-1B program is a primary pipeline for high-skilled labor in technology and medicine, the fee threatened to limit the ability of companies to recruit global talent.
U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin issued the decision in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts [1, 2]. Sorokin said the president lacked the authority to impose such a fee without approval from Congress [1, 2].
The H-1B visa program operates under strict annual limits. There is a cap of 65,000 [1] visas for regular applicants and an additional 20,000 [1] visas reserved for those with advanced degrees. The $100,000 [1] fee would have applied to new visas within these quotas.
By nullifying the fee, the court ensures that the cost of sponsorship remains aligned with previous regulatory standards. The decision prevents the executive branch from unilaterally altering the financial requirements of the visa process, a move that critics argued exceeded presidential powers.
“The judge struck down President Donald Trump's $100,000 fee on new H‑1B visas”
This ruling reinforces the principle of legislative authority over federal taxation and fee structures. By determining that the executive branch cannot unilaterally impose substantial new costs on visa applicants, the court protects the H-1B program from sudden, drastic shifts in cost that could disrupt the U.S. labor market and corporate hiring strategies.
