September 24, 2025

President Donald Trump shook the immigration world by announcing a whopping $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers. This bold move is almost sure to spark fierce legal battles that could shake the future of the popular program and question the president's power to block non-citizens from entering the U.S. So, what’s the H-1B program? Created in 1990, it lets companies hire foreign specialists in fields like engineering or medical research for 3 to 6 years. There are 65,000 visas given each year, plus 20,000 more for workers with advanced degrees. Big industries like tech, finance, healthcare, and consulting depend heavily on these workers. But critics say the program takes jobs away from American workers. Now, do companies already pay a fee? Yes! Employers usually shell out between $2,000 and $5,000 per H-1B visa. This covers filing fees, fraud prevention, and sometimes fast-tracking. Many spend thousands more on lawyers to handle the paperwork. What does Trump’s new order do? From September 19, companies must pay an extra $100,000 per new H-1B visa. The U.S. State Department will only grant visas if this huge fee is paid. Workers won’t be allowed to enter the country without their employers paying up. But this doesn’t apply to workers with visas already or those who applied before September 21. Can the president do this? Experts say this is a big question mark. Normally, visa fees cover genuine administrative costs, and only Congress or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) sets them. Trump used his power to block foreigners if they harm U.S. interests, a power supported by the Supreme Court in 2018 for travel bans. But this $100,000 fee is based on economic reasons, which may get less legal support. Will there be lawsuits? Expect fireworks! Immigrant and business groups call Trump’s order illegal. They could sue, arguing the president overstepped his authority and the fee is unfairly high. Plus, USCIS and the State Department might be accused of ignoring rules about making new policies, like reporting costs or asking for public opinion. Some details about the fee remain unclear—like if it applies when workers change jobs or how exactly payments must be made. This confusion might help legal challengers claim the policy is unfair and disrupts Congress’s plans. Are other changes coming? Yes! On September 23, the Trump administration suggested changing how workers are picked for H-1B visas. Instead of a random lottery, new rules would favor higher-paid workers. Officials say this aims to stop American workers from losing jobs to cheaper foreign labor. In short, Trump’s $100,000 visa fee has thrown the immigration system into a spicy legal storm. Will it survive court challenges? Only time will tell!

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Tags: H-1b visa, Donald trump, Immigration, Visa fee, Legal challenges, Tech industry,