A US federal judge has struck down former President Donald Trump's controversial $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications, calling it an unlawful tax. Judge Leo Sorokin of Boston ruled that the fee could not be imposed without approval from Congress. The lawsuit was filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general, who argued that the massive fee increase would hurt employers, universities, hospitals, and technology companies that rely on skilled foreign workers.
Before the policy, H-1B sponsorship fees typically ranged between $2,000 and $5,000. Court records showed the steep fee discouraged applications, with only 85 payments received by mid-February. The ruling is seen as a major relief for skilled foreign professionals, including thousands of Indian workers seeking employment in the United States.
