A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from enforcing new rules that would limit how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the country without seeking extensions.
US District Judge F. Dennis Saylor in Boston issued the ruling on Monday. His decision came one day before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule was due to take effect.
Saylor ruled in favor of a coalition of unions and higher education advocacy groups that challenged the policy. He said DHS had relied on “exceptionally weak” reasons when adopting the new restrictions.
Judge Questions DHS Justification
The administration had argued that the changes were needed to protect national security and reduce fraud in the visa system. However, Saylor said DHS failed to meet its legal obligations during the rulemaking process.
According to the judge, the agency did not properly address concerns about the proposed changes. He also said DHS failed to consider alternatives that could have placed less pressure on foreign students, researchers and journalists.
Saylor was appointed to the federal bench by Republican President George W. Bush. In his ruling, he said the new policy would disrupt a system that the US has used for almost five decades.
Under the previous system, foreign students could remain in the country for the “duration of status” tied to their studies. Saylor said that approach allowed millions of students and researchers to contribute to US universities, scientific research and the wider economy.
DHS Criticizes the Court Decision
The Department of Homeland Security strongly disagreed with the ruling.
DHS General Counsel James Percival accused the existing system of allowing abuse of US immigration rules. He argued that someone could enter on a student visa, take limited classes and remain in the country for many years.
The Trump administration’s proposed rule would replace the long-standing system with fixed time limits for several categories of visitors.
Proposed Visa Limits
Under the blocked rule, F visas for international students and J visas for cultural exchange visitors would generally be limited to four years.
The proposal would also change the rules for I visas, which are used by foreign journalists. Those visas would be limited to a maximum of 240 days under the new system.
The scale of the potential impact is significant. Around 1.6 million people currently hold F visas, while another 500,000 have J visas.
Saylor also highlighted the role of international students at major American universities. Institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard have particularly large international student populations at the graduate level.
Universities Warn of Economic Impact
The judge said the proposed restrictions could create major financial problems for US universities.
If the rule were implemented, universities could face hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs. Enrollment could also fall as international students reconsider studying in the United States.
Saylor warned that the consequences could extend beyond higher education. He said the policy could cause serious damage to the US economy and research sector.
Miriam Feldblum, head of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, welcomed the ruling. She said the decision recognized the potential harm to international students, universities and the wider economy.
For now, the court’s decision preserves the existing visa system while the legal challenge continues. The case could determine whether the Trump administration can eventually introduce its proposed limits on foreign students and journalists.
