Education groups sue DHS over new four-year limit on international student visas

A coalition of higher-education associations and unions lodged a complaint in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, asking for a preliminary injunction against the Department of Homeland Security’s new rule that ends the long-standing duration-of-status (D/S) framework for F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors and foreign-media I-visas. The rule substitutes D/S with fixed admission periods, capping most student stays at four years and media stays at 240 days, effective September 15.

Plaintiffs—including NAFSA, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts and the American Federation of Teachers—assert that DHS breached the Administrative Procedure Act by not adequately weighing costs, ignoring public comments, and exceeding its statutory authority. They highlight that many PhD, medical and STEM OPT programs routinely exceed four years, forcing students to file costly extension applications and risking status loss.

The complaint also warns of broader economic harm, citing DHS’s own estimate of $443 million annual compliance costs and potential declines in international enrollment that generate billions for the U.S. economy. University leaders and labor groups argue the rule would restrict academic flexibility and undermine the United States’ ability to attract global talent. The lawsuit seeks to have the rule declared unlawful and to obtain immediate relief while the case proceeds.