A federal judge in Massachusetts has issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking a Trump administration rule that sought to impose strict time limits on visas for foreign students, journalists, and exchange visitors. The policy, which was scheduled to take effect on Tuesday, would have capped student visas at four years and journalist visas at 240 days, ending the long-standing duration of status system.
Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV ruled that the regulation would likely cause catastrophic damage to the American economy and higher-education system. He rejected the government's argument to limit the injunction only to the plaintiffs, noting that the rule could be used to exert undue control over academic institutions and the press, particularly by targeting journalists critical of the Department of Homeland Security.
While the administration claimed the limits were necessary to curb fraud and prevent visa overstays, the court found the connection between the rule and its stated security goals to be weak. The injunction halts the implementation of the policy while the legal challenge, brought by various higher education organizations and labor unions, proceeds through the court.