US federal court blocks proposed visa restrictions for foreign students and journalists

The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts has enjoined the implementation of proposed administrative changes to visa rules targeting foreign journalists, international students, and exchange visitors. Under the court ruling, the enforcement of the revised regulations remains halted pending a final judicial determination on the merits.

The legal challenge was mounted by The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a non-profit coalition comprising approximately 600 US colleges and universities, naming the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as the defendant.

The dispute stems from regulatory changes unveiled by DHS in July, which sought to eliminate open-ended durations of status by capping authorized stays for international students and exchange visitors at 240 days, while restricting the period to 90 days for citizens of China.