The Trump administration faced two legal setbacks regarding its immigration policies as a federal judge issued a ruling against proposed visa caps and a coalition of Democratic-led states initiated legal action against broader residency restrictions. On Monday, US District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV blocked the administration from enforcing fixed time limits on the duration foreign students and journalists can stay in the US without applying for extensions. Concurrently, a coalition of states filed a lawsuit to prevent a separate federal regulation that would allow immigration authorities to deny green cards to immigrants using public benefits legally.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation was set to take effect on Tuesday before Judge Saylor granted an injunction requested by trade unions and higher education advocacy groups. Under the proposed limitations, F visas for international students and J visas for cultural exchange programs would be capped at four years, while I visas for journalists would be limited to 240 days.
Judge Saylor, appointed by former President George W. Bush, criticized the DHS's justification for the changes, stating it was "exceptionally weak" and warned that the impact on higher education and the US economy could be "catastrophic." The proposed measures would affect approximately 1.6 million international students with F visas and around 500,000 exchange visitors on J visas.
In a separate legal challenge, two lawsuits were filed in Manhattan federal court against a DHS regulation scheduled to take effect on Friday. This regulation seeks to expand the criteria for immigration officers to deem applicants inadmissible as a "public charge." New York, California, and Illinois are leading a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia in this effort, alongside a parallel lawsuit from six cities and counties.
Under the Biden administration, immigration officers were allowed to consider cash aid when assessing green card applicants but could not penalize the use of non-cash support such as food assistance and Medicaid. The Trump administration aims to reinstate policies from its first term that classify non-cash assistance as a disqualifying factor, extending scrutiny to benefits received by an applicant's family members.
A DHS spokesperson defended the regulation, labeling the plaintiffs as "left-wing leaders" concerned about losing federal funds due to potential withdrawals from welfare programs by noncitizens. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani criticized the rule, stating it aims to deter immigrant families from accessing essential support programs. The lawsuits argue that the administration exceeded its legal authority by circumventing Congress, which has the exclusive power to establish criteria for permanent residency. By penalizing applicants who legally use non-cash assistance, the plaintiffs contend that the administration imposed an unlawful restriction contrary to federal statutes.