A group of 19 US state attorneys general, led by Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to impose a USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications. They argue that the fee is illegal and would seriously hurt employers, especially universities, hospitals, and government institutions, that depend on skilled foreign workers such as doctors, researchers, nurses, and teachers. Rayfield said the high fee would make it very difficult for these institutions to hire the talent they need to continue their work. The lawsuit challenges a presidential proclamation that applies the new fee to all H-1B petitions filed after September 21, including those for the 2026 lottery, while current visa holders are not affected. The attorneys general claim the fee is far higher than normal H-1B costs and was introduced without proper legal process or approval from Congress. They also warn that the policy could leave many important jobs unfilled, especially in higher education and research, and have asked the court to block the rule from being enforced.
