Washington state, along with 19 other states, has initiated a lawsuit against the Trump administration over a newly imposed fee of $100,000 for H-1B visas. This fee is intended for highly-skilled foreign workers and has been challenged for being arbitrary and lacking proper regulatory process.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is accused of implementing this fee without adequate justification, which the states argue could jeopardize their workforce and innovation in key sectors such as artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Washington's public universities and agencies employ nearly 500 H-1B visa holders, while companies like Amazon and Microsoft have over 19,100 and 6,200 H-1B workers, respectively.
According to Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown's office, if the fees are raised, it could lead to reduced research capabilities and a loss of competitive edge for these institutions. The administration claims the visa program has been misused to replace American workers, a point contested by industry leaders who highlight that H-1B workers often earn a median salary of around $120,000.