US judge postpones new visa rules for foreign students, journalists

A federal judge in Boston has halted the implementation of a new rule proposed by the Trump administration, which aimed to restrict the length of stay for foreign students, journalists, and other nonimmigrants in the United States, according to a report. U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor issued the ruling, according to Reuters, just a day before the administration was set to start enforcing the regulation.

The Department of Homeland Security had introduced the rule in July, citing concerns over what it termed "visa abuse" by foreign students, exchange visitors, and media representatives as part of the administration's intensified immigration enforcement efforts. The proposed rule would have set a maximum stay of four years for nonimmigrant students on F visas and exchange visitors on J visas.

Additionally, it would have reduced the initial duration of stay for most foreign journalists from the current unlimited period to 240 days, requiring them to seek an extension thereafter. The rule was anticipated to impact over 13,000 Koreans who were currently in the U.S. under visa programs subject to these provisions.