‘These Federal Judges Are Really Giving Us a Hard Time’: Donald Trump Slams Court System After USD 100,000 H-1B Visa Fee Struck Down (Watch Video)

President Donald J. Trump expressed sharp frustration with the federal judiciary after a Massachusetts district judge struck down his administration's controversial USD 100,000 fee on new H-1B visas. "These federal judges are really giving us a hard time," Trump said, reacting to the decision. "It's really crazy what's going on with the court system... They're hurting our country very badly." The executive policy, which had heavily levied costs against employers seeking highly skilled foreign professionals, was vacated in its entirety, marking a significant setback for the administration’s hardline immigration agenda.

The Judicial Ruling

U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin in Boston issued the summary judgment, siding with a coalition of 20 Democratic state attorneys general who filed the legal challenge. In his decision, Sorokin concluded that the six-figure fee effectively constituted an unauthorized tax. Under the U.S. Constitution, the power to levy taxes and raise revenue is explicitly reserved for Congress, meaning the executive branch lacked the statutory authority to mandate such an increase. "The substance and application of the $100,000 payment reveal that it is a tax, regardless of what the payment is called," Sorokin wrote in his ruling. H-1B Visa Fee: US Federal Judge Blocks Donald Trump Administration’s USD 100,000 Employer Charge for Visa Applications.

Background of the USD 100,000 Fee

The Trump administration originally introduced the sweeping policy as part of an executive proclamation. The directive was framed as an effort to safeguard American jobs and deter companies from leveraging the high-skilled immigration program to source lower-wage foreign labor. Prior to the policy's implementation, base government filing costs for an H-1B petition typically ranged between USD 2,000 and USD 5,000, depending on the size and type of the employing organization.

The immediate, astronomical spike to USD 100,000 drew severe criticism from the technology, healthcare, and higher education sectors. Data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services revealed that very few entities actually paid the fee, with fewer than 100 payments processed through mid-February. H-1B Visa Fee: US Clarifies USD 100,000 Application Fee, Exempts Current Holders.

‘These Federal Judges Are Really Giving Us a Hard Time’

#WATCH | On a federal judge striking down his administration's $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, US President Donald J Trump says, "These federal judges are really giving us a hard time. It's really crazy what's going on with the court system... They're hurting our country very badly."… pic.twitter.com/cgPVPxcrqw

— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2026

Broad Economic and Institutional Impact

The legal challenge, spearheaded by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, argued that the financial barrier crippled the operations of public institutions. State officials emphasized that the high cost effectively priced out public school systems, state universities, and rural hospitals. These entities rely heavily on the H-1B program to fill critical personnel gaps, including specialized researchers, university faculty, and medical clinicians.

While tech sector groups welcomed the ruling as a relief for global recruitment pipelines, the White House has maintained its stance. Administration officials called the ruling a clear case of judicial activism and confirmed they are confident the order will be reversed upon immediate appeal.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2026 12:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).