Daijiworld Media Network - San Francisco

San Francisco, Oct 4: A coalition of healthcare providers, religious groups, university professors, and advocacy organisations has filed a federal lawsuit challenging former US President Donald Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee, calling it an “illegal and chaotic” move that threatens key sectors across the country.

Trump’s September 19 proclamation introduced the hefty fee for all H-1B visa applications, claiming the programme had been “deliberately exploited” to replace American workers with cheaper foreign labour. The new rules, set to take effect within 36 hours, triggered widespread panic among employers who rushed to bring their workers back to the US.

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court in San Francisco, argues that the H-1B programme is essential for hiring skilled professionals — including nurses, teachers, doctors, and pastors — who drive innovation and serve critical roles nationwide.

“Without relief, hospitals will lose medical staff, churches will lose pastors, classrooms will lose teachers, and industries across the country risk losing key innovators,” said the Democracy Forward Foundation and the Justice Action Center in a joint statement.
The petition urges the court to immediately block Trump’s order and restore predictability for both employers and employees, calling it “Trump’s latest anti-immigration power grab.”

The Department of Homeland Security and US Customs and Border Protection, named as defendants along with Trump and the State Department, have not yet responded to the lawsuit.

The H-1B programme, created by Congress, aims to attract high-skilled foreign professionals for jobs difficult to fill domestically. According to the suit, about one-third of H-1B holders are from the healthcare, education, and religious sectors.

Critics, however, argue that the programme enables companies to hire cheaper foreign labour, with some employees earning as low as $60,000 a year, compared to over $100,000 for US tech workers.

“Trump’s plan prioritises wealth and connections over scientific acumen and diligence,” said Mike Miller of the United Automobile Workers Union, while Todd Wolfson of the American Association of University Professors warned the new fee would deter global talent and vital research.

Democracy Forward CEO Skye Perryman added that the fee is both “exorbitant and unlawful,” arguing that Trump cannot rewrite Congressional law or impose new taxes by executive order.