A federal judge struck down the Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee, ruling it lacked Congressional approval.
Lawmakers from both parties welcomed the decision, arguing the fee would worsen staffing shortages in healthcare, education and other sectors.
The White House said it will challenge the ruling, while some Republicans continue to push broader reforms to the H-1B programme.
US lawmakers, including several Republicans, have welcomed a federal court ruling striking down the Trump administration’s USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa applications, even as the White House signalled it would challenge the decision in an appellate court.
The ruling by Massachusetts federal judge Leo Sorokin invalidated the fee imposed by President Donald Trump through a September 2025 proclamation, holding that the measure lacked Congressional approval. The fee had been challenged by California and 19 other states.
Republican lawmakers backing the court order largely focused on sectors such as healthcare and education, where employers depend on foreign workers to fill staffing shortages, particularly in rural communities.
"Many school districts in rural and remote parts of the state rely on the H-1B visa programme to bring quality teachers to their communities," said Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska.
She added that the issue was not partisan in Alaska and noted that the ruling came at a critical time as schools prepare to hire staff for the next academic year.
The White House, however, defended the policy and indicated it would seek to overturn the decision.
"The H-1B programme has been abused for decades, and President Trump finally took action to fix it," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said.
"A federal judge in Washington already upheld a nearly identical order, and the administration is confident this order will be reversed on appeal," Rogers said.
Democratic Congressman Don Beyer welcomed the ruling, arguing that the fee would have imposed significant costs on healthcare facilities already struggling with staff shortages.
Republican Congressman Mike Lawler also backed the decision, citing his bipartisan legislation aimed at exempting healthcare workers from the fee.
"I have been working to exempt healthcare workers from this fee that only exacerbates the current staffing shortages in healthcare. That's why I introduced the bipartisan H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act. While we continue to push this legislation through Congress, this ruling is welcome news," Lawler said.
Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. argued the fee would have discouraged skilled workers from contributing to the US economy and innovation ecosystem.
"The USD 100,000 fee for employers' H-1B applications would have discouraged the best and the brightest from coming to America and helping our economy grow, and to innovate," Bishop said.
State attorneys general who challenged the fee also hailed the ruling. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the measure threatened America's ability to attract skilled workers in sectors facing labour shortages.
"This tax was an attack on America's ability to attract and retain the high-skilled talent that strengthens our economy and helps us meet critical workforce needs," Bonta said.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport echoed the sentiment, saying the courts had agreed that the administration could not impose the fee on H-1B applicants.
Not all Republicans supported the ruling. Arizona Congressman Eli Crane, who has introduced legislation aimed at reforming the H-1B system, criticised the decision and called for congressional action.
"Although an activist judge blocked President Trump's reforms to the H-1B program, Congress can fix it without judicial obstruction. Urge your representative to cosponsor the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which halts and significantly reforms this broken system," Crane said.
