US judge blocks Trump visa restrictions on foreign students, journalists

A US federal judge on Monday, September 15, postponed implementation of Trump administration rules that would impose stricter limits on how long foreign students and journalists can study or work in the United States, putting the policy on hold one day before it was due to take effect.

District Judge Dennis Saylor issued a preliminary injunction against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rules without ruling on the merits of the underlying case. He scheduled another hearing for October 2.

Under the proposed rules, foreign students entering the United States on student visas would be admitted for a maximum of four years, after which they would have to apply for an extension. Under the existing system, international students can remain in the country for the duration of their studies.

Foreign journalists would face a 240-day limit, or roughly eight months, although they could seek extensions of similar duration. They are currently permitted to stay for up to five years. Chinese journalists would be limited to 90-day stays and could apply for additional 90-day extensions.

The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of unions representing universities, teachers and journalists, which challenged the new restrictions.

In an accompanying memorandum, Saylor expressed skepticism about the administration’s policy, pointing to the benefits generated by the existing system.

He said it had enabled tens of millions of foreign students to come to the United States, contributing to "groundbreaking research in science, medicine, and technology, substantial economic growth, and a host of other benefits."

"Rather than attempt to improve that system, DHS elected to replace it with a new program that will substantially restrict the overall number of foreign students, researchers, professors, and journalists," Saylor wrote.

The judge also raised concerns over the discretion DHS officials would have in deciding whether to grant visa extensions. Under the proposed system, he said, denials would be "entirely discretionary and unappealable."

"A DHS official -- based on limited and vague criteria, and with no possibility of appeal -- will have the power to cut short the academic, research, or teaching activities of any non-US citizen for no reason or any reason."

Foreign journalists whose extension applications were rejected would similarly have "no recourse and no appeal," Saylor said.

"The possibilities for abuse are rampant -- in particular, the obvious likelihood that the visas of foreign journalists who are critical of the government (or, more particularly, DHS officials) will not be renewed," he wrote.

DHS cited national security concerns when it proposed the restrictions. Saylor rejected that justification, saying it "borders on the absurd" and was "based almost entirely on a small handful of anecdotes."

The visa policy is part of a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump that includes aggressive enforcement operations in major US cities and new restrictions on legal pathways to citizenship.

The United States hosted more than 1.1 million international students during the 2023-24 academic year, more than any other country, according to official data.

By Tamilla Hasanova