WASHINGTON: More than 20 US states on Tuesday moved to block the Trump administration’s new $100, 000 fee on H-1B visas, warning that the measure would disrupt schools and hospitals nationwide and choke off a key pipeline of skilled foreign talent.
The legal challenge carries particular significance for Indian professionals, who account for a dominant share of H-1B visa holders and play a critical role across US healthcare, education, research and technology sectors, especially in public institutions that states say cannot absorb the steep new cost.
The multistate amicus brief supporting plaintiffs in Global Nurse Force, et al. v. Trump, urged the US District Court for the Northern District of California to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the policy. The brief argues the fee is unlawful and contrary to the public interest, as it would worsen labour shortages, weaken the economy and disrupt essential public services.
“The Trump Administration’s $100, 000 visa fee imposes unnecessary and unlawful financial burdens on public employers and will leave essential positions in critical sectors unfilled, ” asserted California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
“My office has challenged this fee in court, and today, we’re supporting a related challenge. We won’t stop fighting to protect our world-class universities, schools, and hospitals, which thrive by attracting and retaining skilled talent from around the world, ” he said in a statement.