Judge blocks Trump rule limiting foreign student stays

A federal judge on Monday blocked a Trump administration rule that would have imposed fixed-term limits on how long foreign students, exchange visitors, and journalists can remain in the United States. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV in Boston, came one day before the Department of Homeland Security's new policy was scheduled to take effect. The rule, finalized in July, sought to replace the longstanding "duration of status" system, which has allowed international students to remain in the country for the length of their authorized academic program. Under the proposed change, F visas for students and J visas for exchange visitors would have been capped at four years, while I visas for journalists would have been limited to 240 days. Students and scholars needing additional time would have been required to apply for extensions from immigration authorities. Judge Saylor issued a nationwide preliminary injunction halting the rule's implementation while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds.