Coalition files suit to block Trump's bid to impose higher fee for H-IBS

A coalition of unions, employers and religious groups filed a lawsuit on Oct 3 seeking to block US President Donald Trump's bid to impose a US$100,000 (S$129,000) fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers.

- 

The lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco is the first to challenge a proclamation Mr Trump issued two weeks ago announcing the fee as the Republican President moves to further restrict immigration to the United States.

Plaintiffs include the United Auto Workers union, the American Association of University Professors, a nurse recruitment agency and several religious organisations. They argued that Mr Trump's power to restrict the entry of certain foreign nationals does not allow him to override the law that created the H-1B visa programme.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement that Mr Trump's administration engaged in lawful actions "discouraging companies from spamming the system and driving down American wages, while providing certainty to employers who need to bring the best talent from overseas".

The programme allows US employers to hire foreign workers in speciality fields; technology companies in particular rely heavily on workers who receive H-1B visas.