Federal judge voids Trump’s $100,000 fee requirement for H-1B visas

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration's controversial $100,000 fee requirement for certain H-1B visas is unlawful. On Monday, June 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin in Boston issued the decision, stating that the charge amounted to an unauthorized tax which the President did not have the authority to impose without congressional approval.

The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic state attorneys general who challenged the policy. Judge Sorokin determined that the fee was not a legitimate immigration penalty but rather a tax, and also found that the measure violated the Constitution and the federal Administrative Procedure Act. This decision represents a significant setback to an immigration policy introduced by the Trump administration to restrict the entry of foreign workers.

The $100,000 fee, announced by Trump in September, drastically increased the cost of H-1B visas, which previously ranged from approximately $2,000 to $5,000. Critics argued the steep cost would harm businesses, universities, and technology companies reliant on skilled foreign workers.