Immigration Ruling Strikes Down $100,000 H-1B Fee. What’s Next?

LeadershipLeadership StrategiesImmigration Ruling Strikes Down $100,000 H-1B Fee. What’s Next?ByStuart Anderson,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Stuart Anderson writes about immigration, business and globalization.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 04:54pm EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Donald Trump signs a proclamation on September 19, 2025, imposing a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. In a ruling that applies nationwide, a federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s $100,000 fee levied on the entry of new H-1B visa holders. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIn a ruling that applies nationwide, a federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s $100,000 fee levied on the entry of new H-1B visa holders. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin, in the District of Massachusetts, agreed with a coalition of 20 states, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and supported the plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. He declared, “The Policy implementing the Proclamation is declared unlawful and is vacated in its entirety.” In Sept. 2025, Donald Trump enacted the $100,000 fee via a proclamation, imposing it on the entry of new H-1B visa holders. Administration officials have designed several immigration policies, including a proposed rule to significantly increase the prevailing wage, that would make it more difficult to hire H-1B professionals.H-1B temporary visas are often the only way for high-skilled foreign nationals to work in the United States long term. Employers must pay the higher of the actual or prevailing wage paid to U.S. professionals with similar experience and qualifications. Companies recruiting at U.S. universities find that international students account for approximately 75% to 80% of full-time graduate students in AI-related fields, such as computer and information sciences. A Signifi...