Federal Judge Blocks Trump's $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee as Unconstitutional Tax

Executive Briefing

• Vacates Trump's $100,000 H-1B employer fee, ruling it an unconstitutional tax Congress never authorized
• Judge Sorokin cited February Supreme Court precedent striking down Trump's reciprocal tariffs on similar grounds
• Only 85 payments of the $100,000 fee were made before the ruling, signaling near-total industry resistance
• Trump administration plans to appeal, noting a separate federal judge upheld a nearly identical order
• Coalition of 20 states, led by New York AG Letitia James, brought the successful legal challenge