Overview

• Filed in Washington, D.C., the Chamber’s complaint says the proclamation exceeds presidential authority and conflicts with Immigration and Nationality Act requirements that fees reflect processing costs.
• The $100,000 charge, ordered Sept. 19, applies to new H‑1B petitions filed after Sept. 21 as a one-time payment, though attorneys report unclear payment mechanisms and uneven enforcement.
• The case joins an Oct. 3 lawsuit from unions and health staffing groups that warns of harms to hospitals, schools, nonprofits, and small businesses.
• The White House and Labor Department defend the policy as curbing program abuse and prioritizing U.S. workers, as DHS advances proposals like wage‑weighted H‑1B selection under Project Firewall.
• Employers report paused sponsorships and disrupted clinician recruitment; startups and mid‑sized firms say the fee is prohibitive, while some large companies weigh absorbing costs and Indian nationals—who make up most H‑1B holders—face outsized effects.