A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the implementation of Donald Trump’s new regulations limiting the length of stay of foreign students and journalists.
Al Jazeera reported that Federal District Judge Dennis Silver issued the preliminary injunction a day before the new US Department of Homeland Security regulations went into effect.
According to the new regulations, the stay of foreign students with study visas was limited to a maximum of four years and the stay of foreign journalists was limited to 240 days. Chinese journalists were also only allowed to stay for 90 days, but they could apply for an extension of stay.
A coalition of unions representing universities, professors, and journalists had filed a lawsuit against these restrictions. Judge Silver has temporarily suspended the regulations, but has not made a final decision on the merits of the case, and the next court hearing is scheduled for October 2.
Silver has warned that the new regulations could open the door to abuse, as visa extension applications could be rejected without the possibility of appeal.
He also emphasized that the presence of foreign students, researchers, professors, and journalists has so far contributed to America’s scientific, technological, and economic progress.
According to official statistics, there were more than 1.1 million international students in the United States in the 2023-2024 academic year.
