Judge blocks Trump limits on how long foreign students and journalists can stay in US

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-15T13:54:56.660Z • Permanent link

Federal District Judge Richard C. Wesley of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York blocked the Trump administration's new rule limiting the duration foreign students and journalists can stay in the US on Monday, just a day before the rule was set to take effect. The new rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security, would have restricted foreign students and journalists from renewing their visas beyond the age of 26, forcing them to leave the US and return to their home countries. The rule was set to impact thousands of foreign nationals who have been studying or working in the US, and many had already begun making arrangements to renew their visas under the previous rules.

The new rule was part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to limit the number of foreign students and journalists in the US. In 2018, the administration announced a new rule requiring foreign students to take English proficiency tests, and in 2020, it announced a new rule requiring foreign journalists to register with the Department of Justice. The new rule on visa renewals was seen as the latest attempt by the Trump administration to restrict the flow of foreign nationals into the US.

The decision to block the new rule was made by Judge Wesley, who ruled that the rule was invalid under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The judge found that the rule exceeded the authority granted to the Department of Homeland Security by Congress and that it was not supported by evidence. The ruling was met with praise from civil rights groups and advocacy organizations, who argued that the rule was discriminatory and would unfairly impact certain groups of foreign nationals.

The blocking of the new rule on visa renewals has significant implications for research communities and markets. Many universities and research institutions rely on foreign students and researchers to conduct research and teach classes, and the new rule would have forced these individuals to leave the US and return to their home countries. This would have had a significant impact on the quality and diversity of research in the US, and would have also limited the ability of universities and research institutions to collaborate with foreign colleagues.

The new rule would also have affected companies that rely on foreign students and researchers, such as tech firms and biotech companies. These companies often rely on foreign talent to conduct research and develop new products, and the loss of these individuals would have been a significant blow. The ruling has been welcomed by companies such as Google, Microsoft, and IBM, which have all expressed concerns about the impact of the new rule on their ability to conduct research and develop new products.

The decision to block the new rule on visa renewals is part of a larger pattern of efforts by the Trump administration to restrict the flow of foreign nationals into the US. In 2017, the administration announced a travel ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries, which was later upheld by the Supreme Court. The administration also announced a new rule requiring foreign students to take English proficiency tests, and in 2020, it announced a new rule requiring foreign journalists to register with the Department of Justice.