Court blocks visa restrictions for foreign students and journalists
Court blocks visa restrictions for foreign students and journalists
Updated at: September 16, 2026 at 01:00 AM
A U.S. federal judge has issued a nationwide preliminary injunction, effectively blocking a new government rule that would have placed strict time limits on visas for international students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists.
The rule, scheduled for mid-September 2026, aimed to end the "duration of status" system, which typically allows these individuals to remain in the country as long as they maintain their academic or professional standing.
Under the new policy, students and exchange visitors would have been capped at four years, while journalists faced terms as short as 240 days, or just 90 days for those from China.
Dennis Saylor halted the policy, calling the government's security justifications "exceptionally weak."
Higher education institutions had warned of catastrophic financial damage and research disruption, while media groups argued the rule threatened press freedom by enabling retaliation against reporters.
With over 1.6 million international students currently in the U.S., the decision provides significant relief to academia and the press.
The injunction remains in place while the underlying lawsuit proceeds, with further court hearings scheduled for October 2026.
