A U.S. District Court judge in Massachusetts on June 8 vacated a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions that had been established by a September 2025 presidential proclamation, ruling that the payment could not be enforced.
Judge Leo T. Sorkin stated the charge functioned as a tax and was imposed without authorization delegated by Congress. The court granted summary judgment to a coalition led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and 19 other state attorneys general who sued to block the policy.
The decision invalidates the fee requirement for new H-1B filings covered by the proclamation.