A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that opposed President Donald Trump’s $100,000 fee on visas for highly skilled foreign workers.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington ruled that Congress gave the president the authority to "impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate."
"Congress could have, but did not, impose the limit on presidential authority that plaintiffs’ urge," Howell wrote in the 56-page opinion.
The chamber, which advocates for 300,000 businesses, and the Association of American Universities, which advocates for 69 research-based institutions, argued that Trump’s administration lacked the authority to impose the fee on new H-1B visa applications, which the president imposed in September.
Trump’s fees are part of a broader strategy to favor U.S. citizens over foreign workers. The higher visa fees came amid a broader crackdown on illegal immigration, which includes mass deportations of undocumented immigrants and an end to allowing asylum seekers into the country while their cases are pending.