Connecticut Joins Multi-State H-1B Lawsuit

Connecticut is among a coalition of 20 states that filed a lawsuit Dec. 12 challenging the Trump administration’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee.

The suit is one of at least three challenging the fee, which took effect in September and represents a significant shift in the administration of the H-1B visa program.

In one of those legal challenges, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce argued that the fee is unlawful as it overrides provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that govern the visa program.

The multi-state suit, filed in federal court in Boston, claims the Trump administration lacks the power to impose the fee and that it violates federal law.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong called the visa fee “a blow to public and private sector employers who have long relied on skilled H-1B workers to fill difficult and vital positions.”

“Trump has zero authority to charge these outrageous fees and we’re suing to protect a fair and lawful process,” he said in a statement.

Program Impact

California and Massachusetts are leading the lawsuit, which Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin all joined.

The H-1B program is largely designed for highly skilled nonimmigrants hired to work temporarily in specialty occupations by U.S. companies and organizations.

The visas are Issued through an annual lottery and capped at 85,000 per year across the country, with petitions previously costing between $960 to $7,595 in regulatory and statutory fees.

Nationally, educators are the third-largest occupation for H-1B visa holders.

Connecticut averaged 1,104 new H-1B approvals annually over the past decade, with the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut State College and University System among the leading employers.

Public and private sector employers typically leverage the program to address workforce or skills shortages, led by the technology, healthcare, and education sectors.

Nationally, educators are the third-largest occupation for H-1B visa holders, while almost a thousand colleges and universities employ visa holders to support research and education activities.

Almost 17,000 H-1B visas were issued to workers in medicine and health occupations in 2024 fiscal year, with half issued to physicians and surgeons.