Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Plan to Cap International Student Visas at Four Years

A US federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's plan to cap international student visas at four years, giving relief to foreign students and researchers in the country, including thousands from India.

Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the US District Court in Boston issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on Monday, halting a policy that would have replaced the long-standing 'duration of status' system allowing foreign students to remain in the US for as long as they stayed enrolled in an authorized academic program.

The now-paused regulation would have forced students needing more than four years to finish their studies to seek an extension from immigration authorities and restricted students' ability to change academic programs, transfer universities, or pursue another degree at the same level without prior approval.

Saylor described the government's reasoning for the rule as 'exceptionally weak,' noting that the existing visa system had contributed to groundbreaking research in science, medicine, and technology, along with substantial economic growth. He warned that implementing the restrictions could cause damage to the economy and higher-education institutions that is 'likely to be catastrophic.'