NEW YORK, June 9 (ANI) — US President Donald Trump has criticized federal judges after a court invalidated his administration’s implementation of a $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, describing the judicial decisions as “crazy.”
The court previously ruled that the steep financial levy constituted an unlawful tax that lacked proper authorization from Congress.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters as he departed New York after attending the NBA Finals game between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
“These federal judges are really giving us a hard time. It’s really crazy what’s going on with the court system. They’re hurting our country very badly,” he said.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has supported the federal court order blocking the proposed visa application fee, even as the White House prepares to challenge the ruling in an appeals court.
Several Republican lawmakers backed the decision, focusing on concerns that the substantial fee would harm healthcare systems and educational institutions in rural and remote areas. They argued that many employers in those regions depend heavily on international professionals to address critical staffing shortages.
Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska emphasized that the issue extends beyond partisan politics, particularly as schools work to finalize staffing ahead of the upcoming academic year.
“Many school districts in rural and remote parts of the state rely on the H-1B visa program to bring quality teachers to their communities,” Murkowski said.
Despite the criticism, the White House defended the policy and indicated it would seek to overturn the ruling.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said, “The H-1B program has been abused for decades, and President Trump finally took action to fix it.”
Expressing confidence in the administration’s legal position, Rogers added, “A federal judge in Washington already upheld a nearly identical order, and the administration is confident this order will be reversed on appeal.”
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer welcomed the court’s decision, arguing that the fee would have imposed unsustainable costs on healthcare facilities already struggling with workforce shortages.
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler also supported the judicial freeze and highlighted his bipartisan efforts to protect healthcare workers from the proposed fee.
“I have been working to exempt healthcare workers from this fee that only exacerbates the current staffing shortages in healthcare. That’s why I introduced the bipartisan H-1Bs for Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act. While we continue to push this legislation through Congress, this ruling is welcome news,” Lawler said.
Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr. criticized the administration’s approach, arguing that the fee would discourage highly skilled international professionals from seeking opportunities in the United States.
“The $100,000 fee for employers’ H-1B applications would have discouraged the best and the brightest from coming to America and helping our economy grow and innovate,” Bishop said.
The attorneys general who led the successful legal challenge also praised the ruling.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the fee would have undermined the nation’s ability to attract skilled professionals needed in industries facing persistent labor shortages.
“This tax was an attack on America’s ability to attract and retain the high-skilled talent that strengthens our economy and helps us meet critical workforce needs,” Bonta said.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport echoed those concerns, saying the court agreed that the executive branch had exceeded its authority by imposing the fee on H-1B petitioners.
However, Republican support for the ruling was not universal. Arizona Rep. Eli Crane criticized the decision and called for legislative action to reform the visa program.
“Although an activist judge blocked President Trump’s reforms to the H-1B program, Congress can fix it without judicial obstruction. Urge your representative to cosponsor the End H-1B Visa Abuse Act of 2026, which halts and significantly reforms this broken system,” Crane said.
The ruling represents a significant setback for the Trump administration’s broader efforts to tighten employment-based immigration policies and increase barriers for US employers seeking to hire foreign professionals.
The decision has drawn considerable attention in India, where the H-1B visa program serves as a key pathway for skilled workers seeking professional opportunities in the United States. The program enables employers to recruit foreign experts in fields such as technology, engineering, healthcare, and finance.
Indian nationals consistently receive the largest share of H-1B visas because of the country’s extensive pool of highly skilled professionals in these sectors, making any changes to the program particularly significant.
The H-1B visa remains a cornerstone of the US employment-based immigration system. Federal law caps the annual allocation at 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants who have earned advanced degrees from US institutions.
According to immigration advocacy group FWD.us, approximately 730,000 H-1B visa holders currently live in the United States, along with an estimated 550,000 dependents, including spouses and children. (ANI)
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