US judge blocks Trump visa cap for students, journalists

A federal judge has blocked a Trump administration rule that would have capped student visas at four years and journalist visas at 240 days, ruling it would cause 'catastrophic' damage to the US economy and higher education. Judge F Dennis Saylor IV issued a preliminary injunction nationwide, a day before the rule was to take effect. The judge rejected the government's national security rationale, noting the rule could be used to deny visas to journalists critical of the administration.

The now-postponed rule set a 90-day limit specifically for Chinese mediapersons. It allowed extensions, but at the sole discretion of the Department of Homeland Security with no right of appeal. The plaintiffs representing nearly 600 institutions, including Harvard, had challenged the measure. Harvard President Alan Garber had called the four-year PhD cap 'odd'. The case continues in court while the injunction remains in force.