California and 16 other states filed a legal challenge to block a Trump administration rule that would restrict international student visas to a fixed four-year period, arguing the cap will disrupt graduate education and economic growth.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta led the effort, filing an amicus brief with the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. For more than four decades, federal policy has allowed international students to receive visas lasting the full duration of their studies—often longer than four years for graduate and doctoral programs.
The coalition argues a rigid four-year limit will undercut academic research and discourage enrollment. In the University of California system alone, over 35% of all doctoral students are visa holders, often concentrated in STEM fields. Completing a doctoral program takes an average of 5.7 years from the start of the doctoral program nationally, according to the brief—well above the proposed cap.
"The Trump Administration's attempt to impose arbitrary restrictions on the duration of academic visas threatens the stability of California's colleges and universities," said Bonta in a statement.
International students bring significant economic value. During the 2024-2025 school year, international students contributed nearly $230 million in tuition to California State Universities and nearly $163 million to California Community Colleges. Students attending California institutions contributed $6.4 billion to the state economy and supported 55,114 jobs that year.
The coalition includes attorneys general from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.