The California Attorney General and a coalition of 20 US states have filed a federal lawsuit against President Donald Trump's administration over a new $100 fee required for H-1B visas - a work visa for highly skilled foreign workers.
They argue that this fee goes beyond the jurisdiction of the current American leader and violates federal laws, because the visa fee according to the law should correspond only to administrative costs and not be used as a revenue measure by the executive branch.
According to the lawsuit, the new fee will slow down employers' ability to recruit specialized professionals in critical fields such as healthcare, education and technology, deepening employee shortages, reports politic.
States also say such a fee could be incompetent and disincentive, as it places an extraordinary financial burden on employers who typically pay much lower fees for H‑1B applications.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to block the implementation of this tariff and rule that only Congress has the authority to impose such revenue-producing tariffs.
In related news, it is recalled that the US Chamber of Commerce and other coalitions of businesses, unions, and religious organizations have also sued over the same tariff, arguing that it is illegal and harms businesses and the labor market. /Telegraph/
