US judge blocks Trump administration’s new visa rules for foreign students, journalists

A US federal judge temporarily blocked a new visa cap introduced by the Trump administration on Monday, deeming the national security justification "absurd" and weak in connection to the issues it sought to address. Judge F. Dennis Saylor, from Boston, criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for relying heavily on anecdotes rather than solid evidence to support its case.

The new rule, which was set to take effect on Tuesday, would limit international students, visiting scholars, and foreign journalists to 240 days in the US, with Chinese nationals facing the shortest stay at just 90 days. The rule would also cap international students' stays at four years, restrict programme changes, and shorten the post-graduation grace period from 60 to just 30 days.

The DHS argued that the previous "duration of status" policy allowed individuals to change programmes frequently, but Saylor dismissed this claim, stating that the Department failed to demonstrate how a simple time limit would resolve this issue. Saylor warned that the rule could have a "catastrophic" impact on the US higher education system and economy, making the country less attractive to top students.

The ruling was welcomed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation, which called it a "victory for the United States" and a betrayal of the First Amendment. The judge emphasized that the policy could enable content-based denials of visas and chill free reporting. The policy is currently on hold until a court decides the case, but the next hearing is scheduled for October 2.