US judge blocks Trump visa caps as 20 states sue over green card rule

September 15, 2026 at 07:31 AM2 min

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A federal judge in Boston blocked a Trump administration rule that would have capped F, J, and I visas at fixed terms starting Tuesday. The same day, 20 Democratic-led states sued in Manhattan to stop a separate rule broadening the public charge test for green cards, set to take effect Friday.

Key Facts

Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston blocked the DHS rule that would cap F and J visas at four years and I visas at 240 days.
The rule would have affected about 1.6 million F visa holders and 500,000 J visa holders.
Twenty Democratic-led states filed two lawsuits in Manhattan against the public charge rule scheduled to take effect Friday.
Judge Saylor called the DHS rationale for the visa caps 'exceptionally weak' and warned of 'catastrophic' damage to higher education and the economy.

Visa Cap Injunction

US District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston granted an injunction on Monday against a Department of Homeland Security regulation that was set to take effect Tuesday. The rule would have capped F visas for international students and J visas for exchange visitors at four years, and limited I visas for journalists to 240 days. Judge Saylor, appointed by Republican President George W. Bush, called the DHS rationale of national security and fraud prevention 'exceptionally weak'. He said the existing system has allowed tens of millions of scholars to contribute to research and economic expansion, and warned the damage would be 'catastrophic'. The measures would affect roughly 1.6 million F visa holders and about 500,000 J visa holders.

Public Charge Lawsuits

Two lawsuits were filed in a Manhattan federal court on Monday to stop a DHS regulation scheduled to take effect Friday. The rule would broaden the criteria by which immigration officers can deem applicants inadmissible as a 'public charge'. The legal standard has historically applied to individuals likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.