Trump's tech visa fee challenged in court

San Francisco, United States: A coalition of workers in a variety of fields filed a lawsuit Friday to halt the new $100,000 H 1B visa fee introduced b...

San Francisco, United States: A coalition of workers in a variety of fields filed a lawsuit Friday to halt the new $100,000 H-1B visa fee introduced by the Trump administration.

The group, representing health care workers, university professors and religious groups, among others, argued in federal court in San Francisco that the new fee is illegal and will thwart a key conduit for innovation and economic growth in the United States.

"Without relief, hospitals will lose medical staff, churches will lose pastors, classrooms will lose teachers, and industries across the country risk losing key innovators," the coalition said in a statement.

"The suit asks the court to immediately block the order and restore predictability for employers and workers," it added.

The $100,000 fee announced last month gave companies just 36 hours notice before it went into effect, triggering chaos and confusion over how it would work and who would be hit.