US judge postpones new visa rules for foreign students, journalists

On Monday, a US federal judge, District Judge Dennis Saylor, delayed the implementation of new visa rules announced by the Trump administration, which would have imposed stricter limits on the duration of stay for foreign students and journalists in the United States. The decision came the day before the new rules were set to take effect.

Under the proposed changes, foreign students would be allowed to remain in the US for a maximum of four years, compared to the previous unrestricted duration of their studies. International journalists would have been limited to a stay of just 240 days, or about eight months, with similar extension options. Currently, journalists can stay for up to five years.

Saylor put off the implementation without deciding the case's merits and set a hearing for October 2. However, in his ruling, he expressed doubts about the visa restrictions, citing the system's proven benefits, including fostering groundbreaking research and substantial economic growth. He argued that DHS was replacing an effective system with one that would drastically reduce the number of foreign students, researchers, professors, and journalists allowed into the country.

The judge noted that under the new rules, the authority to deny visa extensions would be entirely discretionary and without appeal. He also highlighted the potential for abuse, particularly for critical journalists whose visas may not be renewed. DHS cited national security as the reason for the restrictions, but Saylor dismissed this as "almost entirely based on a small handful of anecdotes."

The visa restrictions are part of a broader immigration crackdown by President Donald Trump, which includes aggressive enforcement operations and new restrictions on legal pathways to citizenship.