Federal judge blocks Trump visa limits as states sue over public-charge rule

A U.S. district judge in Boston halted a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation that would have limited the duration of F-student, J-exchange and I-journalist visas. The injunction, granted at the request of trade unions and higher-education advocates, stops the caps—four years for F visas, four years for J visas and 240 days for I visas—from taking effect. Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV said the agency’s justification, which cited national security and fraud prevention, was "exceptionally weak" and warned that the limits could damage higher education and the broader economy.

Separately, a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia, led by New York, California and Illinois, filed lawsuits in Manhattan federal court to block a separate DHS regulation that would broaden the definition of "public charge" for green-card applicants. The rule would allow immigration officials to consider both cash and non-cash public benefits, including food assistance and Medicaid, when assessing eligibility. The states argue that the administration exceeded its authority by bypassing Congress, which alone can set permanent-residency criteria.

A DHS spokesperson defended the rule, characterizing the plaintiffs as political opponents concerned about potential loss of federal funds. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the regulation would deter immigrant families from accessing programs that have provided food and health support for decades.