Federal judge blocks Trump limits on visa duration for foreign students and journalists

A federal judge blocked new rules from President Donald Trump's administration that would have limited how long foreign students and journalists may remain in the United States unless they formally extend their visas. The injunction came in favor of several civil organizations and was issued one day before the Department of Homeland Security regulation was due to take effect.

What the proposed change would have done

The administration, which began a series of visa-policy reforms during its second term, targeted tighter limits for holders of F-1 student visas and I visas for foreign journalists. For decades, many international students and foreign reporters entered the United States under a visa status known as "Duration of Status" (D/S), which allowed them to remain as long as they met the requirements of their academic program or assignment.

Under the new rule, the government sought to replace open-ended D/S stays with fixed time limits. Most students would have been limited to stays of up to 4 years (or only 2 years for nationals of countries with high visa overstay rates), after which they would be required to file a formal extension application with the Department of Homeland Security. For foreign journalists holding I visas, the proposal would have capped stays at short periods of 240 days.

Legal challengers argued the changes would upend long-standing practices and impose burdens on universities, students and news organizations. The court's temporary block prevents the Department of Homeland Security from implementing the new deadlines while the litigation proceeds.

The ruling leaves the current D/S practice intact for now, but it does not resolve the underlying dispute on the merits. The administration has regulatory and legal options to pursue next steps, and the litigation is expected to continue.

Photo: press material from the event