US court asked to halt Trump's 4-year stay limit for international students

A coalition of eight organizations, including universities, international education groups, and labor unions, has filed a lawsuit challenging new U.S. immigration regulations that would restrict the stay duration for international students and foreign journalists. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, seeks to halt the implementation of the rule, which is scheduled to take effect on August 15.

The new regulations aim to abolish the long-standing "Duration of Status" (D/S) system, which allowed F and J visa holders to remain in the U.S. as long as they maintained their student or exchange visitor status. The revised rules would impose fixed maximum stay periods: four years for F visas (students) and 240 days for I visas (foreign media representatives), requiring extensions through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Plaintiffs argue that these changes will disrupt academic and research plans, deter international talent, and negatively impact the recruitment efforts of U.S. universities. The rules also restrict academic program changes for graduate students, prohibit F-1 students from pursuing lower-level degrees after completing a higher one, and limit school transfers and major changes for undergraduates. The grace period for F-1 students to prepare for departure after completing their studies would be reduced from 60 to 30 days.

Concerns have also been raised regarding press freedom, as the Department of Homeland Security could review news content when adjudicating visa extension requests for foreign journalists. Critics fear this could lead journalists to self-censor sensitive or critical reporting on the U.S. government. The lawsuit also contends that the DHS failed to adequately consider public comments and alternative, less burdensome approaches during the rule-making process.