A coalition of unions and advocacy groups has sued the US government to block new rules that would impose fixed limits on how long international students, exchange visitors and foreign journalists can remain in the country without seeking an extension.
The lawsuit, filed on August 18 in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenges regulations issued by President Donald Trump’s (DHS). The groups argue that the changes could discourage international students and scholars from coming to the while creating additional uncertainty for foreign journalists.
New rules set fixed visa periods
Under the , F visas for international students and J visas for exchange visitors would be limited to a maximum of four years.
I visas issued to foreign media workers would also receive fixed periods of admission. The new limit would generally be 240 days, while Chinese journalists would face a shorter 90-day period.
The rules are scheduled to take effect on September 15, subject to congressional review.
Under the , holders who need to stay beyond their authorized period would have to apply to DHS for an extension. Alternatively, they could leave the country and seek readmission by traveling abroad and re-entering the United States.
Currently, F, J and I visa holders can generally remain in the US for the duration of their approved program or employment, subject to applicable immigration requirements.
Lawsuit warns of impact on universities and students
The coalition described the changes as potentially “catastrophic” for US universities, international students and scholars.
The groups argued that the new restrictions could make the United States less attractive to foreign students who face the possibility of losing lawful immigration status while completing their studies.
“They will discourage foreign students and other nonimmigrants from coming to the United States,” the groups said in the lawsuit.
The coalition also argued that universities could lose access to international talent and that the US economy could suffer from reduced foreign enrollment.
Journalists face separate restrictions
The NewsGuild-CWA, which represents journalists at several US news organizations, including Reuters, is among the groups challenging the rule.
NewsGuild President Jon Schleuss described the changes as an attack on journalists, arguing that shorter visa periods could interfere with foreign correspondents’ ability to work in the United States.
The new regulations would replace the potentially open-ended duration of I visas with fixed admission periods, requiring journalists who need additional time to seek an extension.
DHS defends the rule
The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the lawsuit as “performative.”
A DHS spokesperson said the administration’s changes were intended to strengthen oversight of the immigration system and combat what the department characterized as fraud involving international students.
“If the media really cared about legitimate international students, they would be thanking President Trump for cracking down on the rampant fraud,” the spokesperson said.
Additional restrictions for students
The new rules would impose other requirements on international students.
Graduate students would be prohibited from changing their educational objectives during their stay or transferring to another institution without authorization.
The regulations would also reduce the amount of time students have to leave the US after completing their degree or training from 60 days to 30 days.
Students and exchange visitors seeking to remain beyond their fixed admission period would therefore need to navigate an additional extension process with DHS.
Part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown
The dispute comes as the Trump administration continues its broader effort to tighten both legal and illegal immigration controls.
Since Trump returned to office in January 2025, his administration has increased scrutiny of foreign students and other legal immigrants. Authorities have revoked student visas and taken immigration enforcement actions involving university students, including cases involving their political or ideological activities.
