Attorney General Dan Rayfield today obtained a court order vacating the Trump Administration’s policy of imposing a $100,000 tax on new H-1B visa petitions. H-1B visas allow U.S. employers to hire highly skilled foreign national workers in roles that require specialized skills, including as teachers, physicians, researchers, nurses, and other vital workers, to alleviate nationwide labor shortages. The tax created a costly barrier for employers, weakened the economy, and disrupted essential services, especially for public sector and government employers trying to fill these positions.

“This program has real safeguards – employers have to certify that bringing in a foreign worker won’t undercut American wages or working conditions. It exists because communities need doctors, nurses, and public servants, and sometimes there aren’t enough people to fill every critical job. A $100,000 tax doesn’t protect American workers, it just makes it harder to serve the public.” – AG Rayfield