Twenty US states have filed a lawsuit in federal court against President Donald Trump's decision to impose a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas.
According to foreign media, the stance of the US states is that the Trump administration's new policy is illegal and can cause severe damage to education, health, and other essential public services.
The lawsuit is against the policy of the Department of Homeland Security, which has unusually increased the fee for H-1B visa applications for skilled foreign workers.
The US states say that the federal government does not have the authority to impose such a heavy fee, and this decision is a violation of administrative procedure and constitutional limits. The fee related to the H-1B program has always been limited to only administrative expenses.
The states' stance is that this decision will further exacerbate the existing staff shortage in educational institutions and the health sector. During the recent academic year, 74% of schools in the US faced difficulties in recruiting teachers for vacant positions.
It is clear that the H-1B visa program is widely used in American hospitals, universities, and government schools.
Holders of H-1B visas are the third-largest group of professionals, including teachers. Similarly, the health sector also relies on this program.
Under the new policy, the hefty fee applies to applications filed after September 21, 2025, while the Secretary of Homeland Security has been given the authority to exempt some applications from the fee.
Previously, the total government fee for an H-1B visa was between $960 and $7,595.
In fiscal year 2024, approximately 17,000 H-1B visas were issued for the medical and health sector, of which nearly half were for foreign physicians and surgeons.
Under the new policy of the US administration, the country may face a shortage of 86,000 doctors by 2036.
The lawsuit has been filed under the leadership of California and Massachusetts, which includes Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
The H-1B visa program is considered a crucial route for skilled foreign workers in the US, under which a large number of professionals are working in the fields of technology, health, and educational research.