Washington, DC [US], October 17 (HBTV): The US Chamber of Commerce has filed a legal challenge against the administration’s new USD 100,000 fee on H-1B visa petitions, stating that the policy is unlawful and exceeds statutory authority.
According to the Chamber, the fee violates provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which mandates that visa fees must be based on the actual administrative costs incurred by the government in processing applications.
Announcing the move, Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the US Chamber of Commerce, said the new fee would severely impact American businesses that rely on global talent.
‘The new USD 100,000 visa fee will make it cost-prohibitive for US employers, especially start-ups and small and midsize businesses, to utilize the H-1B program, which was created by Congress expressly to ensure that American businesses of all sizes can access the global talent they need to grow their operations here in the US,’ Bradley said, as per the Chamber’s official release.
He added that the Chamber supports the administration’s broader economic and immigration goals but emphasized that reforms must promote competitiveness and access to skilled workers.
‘President Trump has embarked on an ambitious agenda of securing permanent pro-growth tax reforms, unleashing American energy, and unraveling the overregulation that has stifled growth. The Chamber and our members have actively backed these proposals to attract more investment in America. To support this growth, our economy will require more workers, not fewer,’ he stated.
Bradley further said that with border security strengthened, there is an opportunity to pursue targeted legal immigration reforms.
‘The president deserves credit for securing our nation’s border. With the border secure, we now have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accomplish targeted legal immigration reforms, and we stand ready to work with Congress and the administration to make that happen. That includes working together on common-sense reforms to improve the visa process for skilled workers. The president has said he wants to educate, attract, and retain the world’s best and brightest in the US, and the Chamber shares that goal,’ the Chamber added.
(ANI)