On September 23, Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV of the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Department of Homeland Security’s plan to replace “duration of status” with a fixed four-year stay for F-1 and J-1 students and a 240-day limit for I-media visas. The rule was to take effect September 24. The court found plaintiffs—led by NAFSA and the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education—were likely to prove DHS violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to justify the rule’s costs and by providing inadequate public-comment time. Judge Saylor warned the rule would inflict “catastrophic” damage on U.S. higher education, which enrolls more than 1.3 million F and J visa holders and contributes an estimated $40 billion to the economy. Had it proceeded, the regulation would have forced every international student to file extension requests, limited program transfers and sharply reduced grace periods. Universities feared mass attrition, while employers worried about disruptions to STEM talent pipelines and Optional Practical Training (OPT) eligibility. For corporate mobility programs, the injunction eliminates immediate compliance headaches—no new I-94 end-dates, no rush extensions and no policy rewrites—at least for now. DHS is expected to appeal, and Congress could weigh in; Sen. Chuck Grassley has already promised oversight hearings on visa overstays. Institutions are advising students to keep copies of the court order in case of CBP confusion at ports of entry. Attorneys also recommend that companies recruiting Class of 2027 graduates document the ruling in offer letters to reassure candidates about visa stability.
Source: The Commonwealth Times
