Judge blocks Trump limits on how long foreign students and journalists can stay in US

Key Points:

• A federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration's new rule that would limit the duration foreign students and journalists can stay in the US without applying for extensions, ruling the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) failed to properly justify the policy change.
• The rule, set to take effect soon, would have capped F visas for international students and J visas for cultural exchange visitors at four years, and limited I visas for journalists to 240 days, affecting about 2.1 million visa holders.
• Judge Dennis Saylor emphasized that the longstanding system allowing visas for the "duration of status" has supported significant research, economic growth, and benefits, warning the new rule could cause catastrophic damage to higher education and the US economy.
• DHS General Counsel James Percival criticized the ruling, arguing it would allow abuse of the immigration system, while university and advocacy group leaders praised the decision for preserving the ability to attract and retain global talent.
• The case continues, but the injunction maintains the existing visa system, protecting international students, researchers, and journalists from the proposed restrictive limits.