Trump administration proposes $103,000 H-1B fee, scope vastly expanded from prior executive order

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a draft rule proposing a fee of over $100,000 on all H-1B visa applications subject to the annual cap, with coverage significantly broader than Trump's earlier executive order, including individuals already in the U.S. holding H-1B status. The move aims to recoup administrative costs of immigration adjudication. The previous executive order was blocked by courts for unlawfully imposing a tax; the new rule advances via administrative regulation to circumvent legal obstacles.