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

The decision blocks a Trump administration policy that required employers to pay $100,000 when filing new H-1B visa petitions, a move the White House argued was necessary to discourage abuse of the visa system and protect American workers.

In his ruling, Sorokin concluded that the fee functioned as a tax rather than a regulatory charge and said Congress never granted the executive branch authority to impose such a levy

Advertisement “The substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is a tax,” Sorokin wrote, finding that the administration had exceeded its legal authority.

The ruling represents a significant setback for the administration’s broader effort to tighten restrictions on foreign worker programs and prioritize American workers in high-skilled industries.