Trump admin sued over visa time restrictions for foreign students, journalists
A coalition sued to block a DHS visa rule changes that would cap international students at four years in the U.S. and limit foreign journalists to 240 days.
TL;DR
- A lawsuit has been filed by unions and advocacy groups to block new Trump administration visa restrictions.
- The restrictions impose fixed admission periods for F (students), J (exchange visitors), and I (journalists) visa statuses.
- F students and J exchange visitors will generally be admitted for the length of their program, up to four years, requiring extensions for longer stays.
- Foreign journalists' I visas would be limited to 240 days, with PRC passport holders (excluding Hong Kong and Macau) limited to 90 days, both requiring extensions tied to assignment length.
- The coalition claims the rule will be "catastrophic" for universities, international students, and the U.S. economy, discouraging foreign enrollment.
- The Department of Homeland Security dismisses the lawsuit, stating the changes will root out fraud and allow for periodic assessments of visa holder compliance.
- Critics, like NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss, view the rule as an attack on journalists and the First Amendment, aimed at chilling reporting.