San Francisco, Sept 2026 : A US federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration rule that would replace the current system governing the stay of foreign students, exchange visitors and representatives of foreign media with fixed limits on their admission to the United States.
Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the District of Massachusetts on Monday granted a request by the plaintiffs to postpone the rule’s effective date under Section 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act. The regulation was scheduled to take effect on Tuesday.
Published by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in July, the rule sought to replace the existing “duration of status” system for F-class academic students, J-class exchange visitors and I-class representatives of foreign information media with specified periods of admission, according to Xinhua news agency.
Under the proposed framework, F and J nonimmigrants would generally be admitted for the duration of their academic or exchange programmes, subject to a maximum period of four years. They would then receive a 30-day period to leave the country.
Students or exchange visitors requiring additional time to complete their studies, training or exchange programmes would have been required to apply to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an extension.
The rule also proposed new limits for I-class foreign media representatives. They would be admitted for the period necessary to complete their activities or assignments, but for no more than 240 days at a time. Extensions would remain available for those requiring additional time.
The rule faced opposition from several organisations representing international educators, universities, workers and journalists. NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the American Federation of Teachers, the United Auto Workers Local 2322 and The NewsGuild-CWA were among the groups that filed a lawsuit on August 18 seeking to block its implementation.
The court’s decision comes amid a broader push by the Trump administration to tighten immigration rules and reduce the period during which certain foreign nationals can remain in the US.
Earlier this month, the administration proposed ending the existing grace period of up to 60 days that allows H-1B workers and certain other employment-based visa holders to remain in the country after losing their jobs. The proposed change could significantly reduce the time available to find another employer or pursue an alternative immigration status.
The DHS proposal, which is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register, would eliminate the provision under 8 CFR 214.1(l)(2). The provision currently covers E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 and TN visa classifications, as well as their dependents.
If finalised, the proposed change would mean that workers whose employment or qualifying activity ends would generally be required to leave the United States immediately unless they have another legal basis to remain.
DHS has argued that the existing grace period “disconnects the alien's lawful status from the very basis of eligibility” for employment-based nonimmigrant classifications.
The department said the proposal would restore an earlier policy under which foreign workers were expected to depart the US when their employment with the sponsoring employer ended.
The latest court order adds another legal challenge to the administration’s efforts to tighten immigration and visa rules.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
