A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the implementation of new visa rules introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump that would place tighter limits on the length of stay for foreign students and journalists.
The preliminary injunction was issued by District Judge Dennis Saylor on Monday, just a day before the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was due to implement the new regulations.
Under the proposed policy, international students entering the United States on student visas would generally be permitted to stay for a maximum of four years. Those whose academic programmes extend beyond that period would need to seek an extension.
The proposed arrangement would replace the existing system under which foreign students could remain in the country for the duration of their approved academic programmes.
The rules would also introduce shorter periods of admission for foreign journalists. Journalists from most countries would be restricted to stays of 240 days, or approximately eight months, although they could apply for further extensions. Chinese journalists would face an initial 90-day limit, with the possibility of seeking additional 90-day extensions.
The legal challenge was brought by a coalition representing universities, educators and journalists, who argued against the proposed restrictions.
Judge Saylor’s order puts the implementation on hold without determining the merits of the lawsuit. The court has scheduled another hearing for October 2.
In his accompanying memorandum, Saylor raised concerns about the potential impact of the proposed system on international education, research and journalism.
He noted that the existing visa framework had enabled millions of international students to study in the United States and had contributed to research, technological advancement and economic activity.
The judge was particularly concerned about provisions that would give DHS officials broad discretion to reject visa extensions without providing applicants with an avenue to appeal.
He warned that such powers could potentially interfere with the academic, research and teaching activities of non-US citizens.
Saylor also expressed concern about the implications for foreign journalists, particularly those whose reporting is critical of the US government. He questioned whether journalists denied extensions would have any meaningful means of challenging such decisions.
DHS had defended the proposed restrictions on national security grounds. However, the judge questioned the strength of that justification, arguing that it appeared to rely heavily on a limited number of individual cases.
The dispute forms part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration policy, which has included tougher enforcement measures and changes affecting legal immigration pathways.
The United States remains the world’s leading destination for international students. More than 1.1 million international students were enrolled in the country during the 2023–24 academic year, according to official figures.
For now, the judge’s order means the proposed visa restrictions will not take effect as scheduled, leaving their future dependent on further proceedings in the federal court.
