"The US Chamber of Commerce is appealing a federal court's refusal to block the Trump administration's $100,000 fee on applications for H-1B visas that are heavily relied on by American technology companies for hiring skilled foreign workers. The national business group filed a notice of appeal Monday in Washington federal court, where a judge ruled on Dec. 23 that President Donald Trump's effort to radically increase the cost of the popular visa is lawful."
"The escalating fight in Washington comes as the September proclamation by Trump imposing the fee faces separate challenges filed in Massachusetts by more than a dozen mostly Democratic-led states and in California by a global nurse-staffing agency and several unions. The dispute is expected to ultimately go to the US Supreme Court. The H-1B visa program is a cornerstone of employment-based immigration, allowing companies in the US to hire college-educated foreign workers for specialized occupations."
"Trump moved to increase the application fee to discourage companies from abusing a program that he claimed displaces US workers. It's a stark shift from America's historical stance toward immigration. Since its founding, the US has welcomed people from diverse countries and economic backgrounds who come to the US in search of a better life and more freedom. Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have mused about the prospects of the H-1B fee generating a windfall for the US Treasury that could total $100 billion."
The Chamber of Commerce appealed a federal judge's refusal to block a $100,000 H-1B application fee imposed by the Trump administration. A Washington judge ruled on Dec. 23 that the fee increase is lawful. Separate legal challenges were filed in Massachusetts by more than a dozen mostly Democratic-led states and in California by a nurse-staffing agency and unions, and the dispute is expected to reach the US Supreme Court. The H-1B program enables US employers to hire college-educated foreign workers for specialized roles. The administration framed the fee as a deterrent to abuse and a potential Treasury windfall, while attorneys warned of major economic disruption.
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