US judge postpones new visa rules for foreign students, journalists

A federal judge in the United States has delayed the implementation of new visa rules proposed by the Trump administration that would restrict the length of time foreign students and journalists can study or work in the country. District Judge Dennis Saylor issued the preliminary injunction on Monday, just one day before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was set to enforce the new rules.

The proposed changes would have allowed foreign students to remain in the U.S. for a maximum of four years, down from the current unlimited duration, and foreign journalists to stay for just 240 days, or around eight months, instead of the previous five-year limit. Chinese journalists would have been granted only 90 days, with 90-day extensions.

The lawsuit challenging the visa restrictions was filed by a coalition of unions representing universities, teachers, and journalists. Saylor expressed skepticism about the visa limitations, noting that the current system has enabled tens of millions of foreign students to contribute to groundbreaking research, economic growth, and other benefits in the United States.

He highlighted that under the new rules, DHS officials would have the power to unilaterally deny visa extensions for any non-U.S. citizen, with no appeal process. Saylor criticized the administration's decision to drastically reduce the number of foreign students, researchers, professors, and journalists allowed into the country, emphasizing the potential for abuse in targeting individuals who may be critical of the government or DHS officials.

The judge also dismissed the national security rationale provided by DHS for the visa restrictions, deeming it "absurd" and based on scant evidence. The visa changes were part of a larger immigration crackdown by President Donald Trump, which included aggressive enforcement measures and new restrictions on legal pathways to citizenship.

Despite the proposed rule, the United States continued to attract the highest number of international students globally, welcoming over 1.1 million in the 2023-24 academic year.