US Judge Clears Trump's $100K H-1B Fee, Overhauls Lottery System

• US District Judge Beryl Howell cleared Trump's proposed $100,000 H-1B visa fee, ruling he acted within legal authority.
• The decision is a blow to US tech firms and industries relying on skilled foreign labor, making visas unaffordable for many.
• The US Chamber of Commerce, which sued to block the fee, is considering an appeal; other lawsuits are pending.
• Trump administration also announced scrapping the H-1B lottery system, replacing it with a weighted model.
• The new weighted system, favoring higher-skilled and higher-paid applicants, takes effect Feb 26, 2026, for FY 2027.

Why It Matters: Judge approves Trump's $100K H-1B fee; lottery scrapped for skill-based selection.