A United States federal judge postponed the entry into force of new restrictions on how long foreign students and journalists may remain in the United States, delaying measures ordered by the administration of President Donald Trump that had been due to take effect on Monday.
The judge, sitting in Boston in the northeastern United States, did not rule on the merits of the case but put the regulation on hold until further notice, hours before it was scheduled to begin applying on Monday, 15 September.
The judge granted a request brought by organizations representing higher education institutions, professors and unions, including one union representing journalists and other media professionals.
What the New Rule Would Have Required
Under the regulation, published in July in the Federal Register, the United States government's official journal for new rules, foreign nationals holding student visas would no longer be permitted to remain in the country for more than four years.
Foreign journalists would have had their stays limited to 240 days, roughly eight months, though they could apply for renewals of the same length.
Until now, the United States granted student visas for the duration of a person's study program and allowed foreign journalists to stay for up to five years.
Chinese Journalists Face Tighter Limits
Journalists from China would have been subject to a particularly restrictive regime under the rule, with their visas limited to just 90 days.
Media Organizations Warn of Impact
About a hundred news organizations and international press bodies, including the news agency Agence France-Presse, said in an open letter that the new regulation would harm both the quantity and the quality of coverage of news in the United States.
Who Challenged the Rule
The legal challenge that led to Monday's postponement came from groups representing colleges and universities, faculty and labor unions, among them a union representing journalists and other communications professionals.
The judge's order leaves the regulation suspended until a further ruling is issued.
