19 U.S. states, including California, New York, and Oregon, have sued the Trump administration for raising the H-1B visa fee to $100,000, saying that the price hike would have a “devastating” effect on the country. The visa allows U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers in roles including physicians, researchers, and nurses.
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Before Trump raised the fee in September, the cost to file an H-1B visa petition typically ranged from $960 to $7,595. “By imposing this fee, the Administration is exceeding the fee-setting authority granted by Congress, which requires that fees be set based on the agency’s costs, rather than arbitrarily,” said the Oregon Department of Justice in a statement posted on Friday.
States Warn H-1B Fee Hike Threatens Key Public Sectors
New York Attorney General Letitia James said that the higher fee would threaten public sectors, such as healthcare and education, while harming the economy. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield added that the state’s education and research institutions rely on foreign workers to operate, with the higher fee creating a major challenge for employment.
Other entities have already sued the Trump administration in response to the hike, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and several employee unions.
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