Washington, Sept 2026 : A US federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration regulation that sought to impose a four-year limit on the duration of international student visas, providing relief to thousands of foreign students, researchers and academics, including a large number from India.
Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the US District Court in Boston issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on Monday, just a day before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulation was scheduled to come into effect.
The proposed rule would have replaced the longstanding “duration of status” system, under which international students are generally permitted to remain in the United States as long as they continue to be enrolled in an authorised academic programme and comply with visa requirements.
Under the new regulation, students whose programmes required more than four years would have had to apply to immigration authorities for an extension. The policy would also have imposed additional restrictions on students seeking to change academic programmes, transfer between universities or pursue another degree at the same educational level without prior approval.
The changes would have extended beyond students, also affecting visiting scholars and foreign journalists.
In his ruling, Saylor sharply criticised the government's justification for the regulation, describing it as “exceptionally weak.” He noted that the existing system had contributed significantly to American higher education and innovation, including “groundbreaking research in science, medicine, and technology” as well as substantial economic growth.
The judge warned that implementing the restrictions could have severe consequences for universities and the broader US economy. The resulting damage, he wrote, was “likely to be catastrophic.”
Saylor also highlighted the contribution of immigrants educated at American universities to scientific and technological advancement. He pointed out that immigrants who attended US universities have been named as inventors on a disproportionately high number of patents and have received a disproportionate share of Nobel Prizes.
The Trump administration had argued that the existing visa system was outdated and required reform to “safeguard national security.” While acknowledging that the current system was “not without its problems,” Saylor said the administration appeared to be seeking broader restrictions on the presence of foreign students, researchers, professors and journalists in the United States.
“The government’s contention that the rule is necessary to safeguard national security borders on the absurd,” he wrote.
The lawsuit was filed by several higher-education organisations and labour unions, including the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts.
The groups argued that imposing an arbitrary four-year deadline would make it more difficult for US universities to attract international talent and could undermine advanced research programmes.
The DHS defended the regulation after the lawsuit was filed, arguing that existing rules were being exploited by some foreign nationals who violated the terms of their student visas.
The proposed four-year limit was expected to have a particularly significant impact on doctoral students. Data from the National Science Foundation cited in reports indicated that doctoral programmes in the United States take a median of 5.7 years to complete, meaning many students could have required extensions under the new system.
Saylor also expressed concern about granting immigration officials greater authority over academic decisions. He warned that such discretion could potentially be misused against students whose viewpoints or research were considered undesirable, or even against institutions whose academic positions were disfavoured by officials.
The regulation received nearly 22,000 public comments, with most opposing the proposed changes. Separately, NAFSA figures cited in reports showed that international applications through the Common Application declined by 10 per cent during the latest admissions cycle, while doctoral applications fell by 21 per cent.
The preliminary injunction does not permanently strike down the regulation. Instead, it preserves the existing visa system while the court considers the broader legal challenge. The Trump administration can also appeal the decision.
The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for October 2.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
