{"id":5712,"date":"2026-06-15T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/?p=5712"},"modified":"2026-06-13T21:31:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T04:31:01","slug":"two-federal-courts-strike-down-key-immigration-policies-what-you-must-do-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/two-federal-courts-strike-down-key-immigration-policies-what-you-must-do-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Federal Courts Strike Down Key Immigration Policies \u2014 What You Must Do Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html lang=\"en\">\n<head>\n<meta charset=\"UTF-8\">\n<meta name=\"viewport\" content=\"width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0\">\n<title>Breaking: Two Federal Courts Strike Down H-1B Fee &#038; Travel Ban Policies | Arif Law Offices<\/title>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Playfair+Display:ital,wght@0,700;1,400&#038;family=Inter:wght@300;400;500&#038;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n  *, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; 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}\n    .site-header .section-label { display: none; }\n    .hero { padding: 48px 20px 40px; }\n    .article-body { padding: 40px 20px 60px; }\n    .cta-box { padding: 28px 24px; }\n  }\n<\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n\n<header class=\"site-header\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/\" class=\"firm\">Arif Law Offices<\/a>\n  <span class=\"section-label\">Client Updates<\/span>\n<\/header>\n\n<div class=\"urgent-banner\">\n  <span>\ud83d\udea8<\/span> Breaking Legal Development \u2014 Action May Be Required. Read This Now.\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"hero\">\n  <span class=\"eyebrow\">Urgent Client Alert &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; June 2026<\/span>\n  <h1>Two Federal Courts Strike Down Key Immigration Policies \u2014 What You Must Do Now<\/h1>\n  <p class=\"meta\">\n    <span>June 13, 2026<\/span>\n    <span>Arif Law Offices<\/span>\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<article class=\"article-body\">\n\n  <p class=\"lead\">Within days of each other, two federal district courts have issued landmark rulings vacating major Trump administration immigration policies \u2014 including the $100,000 H-1B fee and four USCIS policies freezing benefits for nationals of travel-ban countries. These decisions create immediate opportunities \u2014 and real risks \u2014 for thousands of applicants. Do not wait to act.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"ruling-cards\">\n    <div class=\"ruling-card\">\n      <div class=\"label\">Ruling One &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; June 8, 2026<\/div>\n      <div class=\"ruling-title\">$100,000 H-1B Fee Vacated Nationwide<\/div>\n      <div class=\"ruling-detail\">U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts<br><em>State of California et al. v. Mullin et al.<\/em><br>Judge Leo T. Sorokin<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"ruling-card\">\n      <div class=\"label\">Ruling Two &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; June 5, 2026<\/div>\n      <div class=\"ruling-title\">Travel Ban Adjudication Freeze Vacated<\/div>\n      <div class=\"ruling-detail\">U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island<br><em>Dorcas International Institute v. USCIS<\/em><br>Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr.<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h2>Ruling One: The $100,000 H-1B Fee Is Gone \u2014 For Now<\/h2>\n\n  <p>On June 8, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts struck down the $100,000 supplemental payment requirement that had been imposed on new H-1B petitions since September 2025 under Presidential Proclamation 10973. The court granted summary judgment to a coalition of twenty states and vacated the policy in its entirety, with nationwide effect.<\/p>\n\n  <p>The court found the fee unlawful on three independent grounds. First, the $100,000 charge is a tax \u2014 and only Congress has the authority to impose taxes. The president cannot create new taxes through a proclamation, regardless of how it is framed. Second, no existing immigration statute gave USCIS or the State Department authority to collect such a payment. Third, the agencies violated the Administrative Procedure Act in implementing the policy without proper notice-and-comment rulemaking.<\/p>\n\n  <h3>What This Means Right Now<\/h3>\n\n  <div class=\"warning-box\">\n    <strong>Immediate Effect<\/strong>\n    The $100,000 fee is vacated and unenforceable as of June 8, 2026. Employers filing new H-1B petitions \u2014 including cap-subject, cap-exempt, transfers, and amendments \u2014 should not submit the fee. Petitions previously denied solely because of the fee may have grounds for reconsideration. It is not yet clear whether fees already paid will be refunded.\n  <\/div>\n\n  <p>Critically, the Trump administration is expected to appeal and may seek an emergency stay of the ruling. If a stay is granted, the fee could be reinstated on short notice. The window to file without the fee is open \u2014 but it may not stay open for long.<\/p>\n\n  <h2>Ruling Two: USCIS Benefits Freeze for Travel Ban Countries Is Vacated<\/h2>\n\n  <p>Three days earlier, on June 5, 2026, Chief Judge McConnell of the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island issued an equally sweeping decision, vacating four USCIS policies that had frozen immigration benefits for nationals of 39 countries designated under President Trump&#8217;s December 2025 travel ban, Proclamation 10998.<\/p>\n\n  <p>The four policies struck down are the Benefits Hold \u2014 which froze green card, work permit, and citizenship applications for nationals of travel ban countries; the Global Asylum Hold \u2014 which paused all asylum decisions regardless of country of origin; the Comprehensive Re-Review Policy \u2014 which required officers to re-examine previously approved benefit applications for travel ban nationals; and the Country-Specific Negative Factor Policy \u2014 which directed officers to treat an applicant&#8217;s nationality as a significant negative factor in any case requiring discretion.<\/p>\n\n  <p>The court found all four policies violated the Administrative Procedure Act and vacated them in their entirety. Unlike earlier court orders in this area, which provided limited relief only to named plaintiffs, this ruling is a full vacatur \u2014 meaning it applies to all pending cases nationwide, not just those brought by the plaintiffs.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"pull-quote\">\n    A nationwide vacatur changes the entire landscape. The freeze on your application may now be unlawful \u2014 but you must move quickly before an appeal reverses course.\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h3>Who Is Affected<\/h3>\n\n  <p>If you or a family member is a national of any of the 39 countries covered by Proclamation 10998, and you have a pending green card application, work permit, asylum case, or citizenship application that has been held or stalled since late 2025, these rulings directly affect you. USCIS has not yet issued formal updated guidance, but the legal basis for holding your application has been declared unlawful.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"caution-box\">\n    <strong>Important Caution<\/strong>\n    The government is expected to appeal both rulings and may seek emergency stays. These decisions, while significant, are not final. Applications that resume processing under these rulings could face renewed complications if a higher court reverses course. You need legal guidance tailored to your specific situation \u2014 not a general assumption that everything is resolved.\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h2>What You Should Do Right Now<\/h2>\n\n  <ul class=\"action-list\">\n    <li>\n      <span class=\"num\">1<\/span>\n      <span><strong>Contact our office immediately<\/strong> if you have an H-1B petition that was held up by the $100,000 fee requirement, or if you are an employer who paid the fee or had a petition denied because of it.<\/span>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <span class=\"num\">2<\/span>\n      <span><strong>Contact us if your application was frozen<\/strong> due to the USCIS benefits hold affecting travel ban country nationals \u2014 whether it is a green card, work permit, asylum case, or citizenship application.<\/span>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <span class=\"num\">3<\/span>\n      <span><strong>Do not assume automatic resumption.<\/strong> USCIS has not yet issued updated operational guidance. Your case will not move forward on its own \u2014 proactive steps with counsel are needed.<\/span>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <span class=\"num\">4<\/span>\n      <span><strong>Act before any stay is issued.<\/strong> The government is expected to appeal both rulings quickly. There may be a narrow window to file, refile, or escalate your case before the situation changes again.<\/span>\n    <\/li>\n    <li>\n      <span class=\"num\">5<\/span>\n      <span><strong>Preserve all records<\/strong> of fees paid, denial notices, or hold notices received. These documents will be critical if you seek reconsideration or a refund.<\/span>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n  <h2>Our Assessment<\/h2>\n\n  <p>These are genuinely significant victories for immigrants, employers, and the rule of law. The courts have made clear that the executive branch cannot unilaterally impose taxes or freeze adjudications without proper legal authority. But court victories in immigration law rarely translate immediately into resolved cases. Appeals, stays, and agency delays are the norm \u2014 and the clients who benefit most are those who move quickly with experienced legal guidance.<\/p>\n\n  <p>We are monitoring both cases in real time and will update this page as the government responds, USCIS issues new guidance, or either ruling is stayed or appealed. If your case may be affected, the time to call is now \u2014 not after the landscape shifts again.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"cta-box\">\n    <h3>Your Case May Be Affected. Call Us Today.<\/h3>\n    <p>Whether you are an H-1B holder, an employer, or an applicant from a travel ban country, these rulings may open a door that was closed to you. Let us assess your situation and help you act before that window narrows.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"cta-links\">\n      <a href=\"tel:9499946100\">\ud83d\udcde (949) 994-6100<\/a>\n      <a href=\"mailto:contact@ariflawofficespc.com\" class=\"secondary\">\u2709 contact@ariflawofficespc.com<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/article>\n\n<footer class=\"article-footer\">\n  \u00a9 2026 Arif Law Offices &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/\" style=\"color:inherit;\">www.ariflawoffices.com<\/a> &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; This update is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Case outcomes vary. Contact our office for guidance specific to your situation.\n<\/footer>\n\n<\/body>\n<\/html>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breaking: Two Federal Courts Strike Down H-1B Fee &#038; Travel Ban Policies | Arif Law Offices Arif Law Offices Client Updates \ud83d\udea8 Breaking Legal Development \u2014 Action May Be Required. Read This Now. Urgent Client Alert &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; June 2026 Two Federal Courts Strike Down Key Immigration Policies \u2014 What You Must Do Now June 13, [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-green-cards"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Asif ARIF","author_link":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/author\/asif-arif\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/category\/green-cards\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Green Cards<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Breaking: Two Federal Courts Strike Down H-1B Fee &#038; Travel Ban Policies | Arif Law Offices Arif Law Offices Client Updates \ud83d\udea8 Breaking Legal Development \u2014 Action May Be Required. Read This Now. Urgent Client Alert &nbsp;\u00b7&nbsp; June 2026 Two Federal Courts Strike Down Key Immigration Policies \u2014 What You Must Do Now June 13,\u2026","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5714,"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5712\/revisions\/5714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ariflawoffices.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}