Coalition Sues Trump Administration Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee

A coalition of workers from various sectors has filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco challenging the Trump administration’s new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas.

The plaintiffs, representing healthcare professionals, academics, and religious groups, argue that the policy is unlawful and threatens America’s innovation and economic growth.

“Without relief, hospitals will lose doctors and nurses, churches will lose pastors, classrooms will lose teachers, and industries will lose key innovators,” the coalition said in a statement, urging the court to block the order and restore stability for employers and workers.

The fee, announced last month with just 36 hours’ notice, sparked widespread confusion among businesses and institutions reliant on skilled foreign workers.

The H-1B visa program, capped at 85,000 slots annually, has long been vital to U.S. industries, with Indian nationals making up nearly 75 percent of recipients. Silicon Valley and other sectors have raised concerns that the steep fee could choke off critical talent pipelines.

President Donald Trump defended the move as part of his broader immigration crackdown, arguing that the H-1B system has been misused to undercut American workers. But critics, including tech leaders such as Elon Musk, warn that the measure could worsen labor shortages in high-demand industries.