A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas, ruling that the policy amounted to an unlawful tax imposed without congressional authorisation, in a decision that carries immediate significance for Seattle’s technology sector and the broader Washington state economy.
US District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that the fee was effectively a tax rather than a permissible immigration penalty, and could therefore not be imposed without approval from Congress. The decision immediately blocks the fee, which had been one of the most consequential changes made to the high-skilled worker visa programme. The administration is expected to appeal the ruling.
The outcome is particularly relevant for Seattle, where Amazon, Microsoft, and a wide range of other technology companies rely heavily on H-1B visas to recruit and retain specialised engineering and technical talent from abroad. The $100,000 fee would have dramatically increased the cost of hiring highly skilled foreign workers, with critics arguing it would have placed Seattle-area employers at a competitive disadvantage relative to companies in countries without similar barriers, while also making recruitment harder for universities, healthcare systems, and research institutions.
Washington was among a coalition of 20 states that challenged the fee in court. State officials argued the policy would cause significant harm to public universities, state agencies, healthcare providers, and research institutions across Washington, all of which employ H-1B workers in roles that are difficult to fill with domestic candidates alone.
The ruling does not resolve the broader political debate around the H-1B programme, which has drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle for different reasons, and further legal proceedings are expected as the administration pursues its appeal.
