Trump Administration Proposes New Fee for H-1B Visas

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a new rule regarding H-1B visas, introducing a significant fee of $103,265 for workers who want to be employed in the U.S. under the annual cap. This proposal has caught the attention of those in the tech industry, which relies heavily on H-1B visas to hire foreign workers for specialized, high-skill roles.

In particular, computer-related positions, such as software engineering, data science, and IT support, account for almost two-thirds of H-1B approvals as reported by the Bipartisan Policy Center. The fee aims to cover the federal government’s costs in managing the lawful immigration system, according to the notice.

“The proposed H‑1B fee is intended to recover the costs incurred across the federal government to adjudicate, vet, and support lawful immigration programs that otherwise must be funded by taxpayers,” explained Zach Kahler, a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

This proposal comes after a federal court decision in June rejected a similar $100,000 fee proposed by the Trump administration. U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin had declared that only Congress has the power to establish immigration policy and taxes, making the original proposal unlawful.

The DHS proposal will not affect universities, hospitals, and research institutions. After publication in the Federal Register, there will be a 30-day comment period for companies and tech workers.

For further updates, visit TheHill.com where Ashleigh Fields provides detailed coverage.

Essential Reads

Policy decisions affecting the tech industry now and in the future include:

• OpenAI Investigation: Alabama’s attorney general subpoenaed OpenAI in connection with an investigation about a model breach involving tech startup Hugging Face, citing Alabama’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
• Media Merger Tensions: Paramount and California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled a meeting amid disputes related to a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
• Data Center Ban Warning: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin advised against banning data centers in the U.S., emphasizing the importance of winning the AI development race against China.

In Other News

• Flock CEO appeals for compromise amid backlash (TechCrunch).
• Greg Abbott discusses data center strategy shift (Politico).

Additional Education Insights

Education Secretary Linda McMahon commented on AI’s potential role in K-12 education. Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” she highlighted the use of chatbots at the Alpha School in Austin, Texas, where students engage daily with this technology under teacher supervision.