U.S. government sued for new rule affecting visas for international students, journalists

A coalition of unions and advocacy groups sued the U.S. federal government on Tuesday, seeking to block a rule that will limit how long international students and journalists can remain in the United States without applying for extensions.

The new rule from U.S. President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security creates a fixed period of stay for international students on F visas; people taking part in cultural exchange programs on J visas, which allow them to work in the United States; and members of the media on I visas. Those visas are currently available for the program or employment duration in the United States.

Under the new regulations, set to take effect on Sept. 15, the student and exchange visa periods would be no longer than four years. The visa for journalists, which currently can last years, would be valid for a maximum of 240 days or, in the case of Chinese nationals, 90 days.

In the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the groups said that the changes would be “catastrophic” for ⁠universities, international students and scholars, and U.S. NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss described it as an attack on journalists.

“They will discourage foreign students and other nonimmigrants from coming to the United States, repelled by the intolerable prospect of losing lawful immigration ⁠status partway through their studies,” the groups said in the lawsuit.

“Students will lose opportunities, schools will lose talent and the public will lose billions of dollars of economic contributions supported by one of ⁠the United States’ top exports: education.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson called the lawsuit “performative.”

“If the media really cared about legitimate international students, they would be thanking President Trump for ⁠cracking down on the rampant fraud to ensure only those truly intending to study in the United States are given the privilege,” the spokesperson said, without providing evidence of the alleged fraud.

Reuters