PLAINTIFF AND CO-COUNSEL STATEMENTS
San Francisco, CA — A coalition of labor unions, health care providers, schools, and religious organizations filed suit today to stop President Trump’s latest anti-immigration power grab: a sweeping executive action that slaps an unlawful new $100,000 price tag on every new H-1B application. The proclamation – issued on September 19, 2025, and made effective just 36 hours later – has already thrown employers, workers, and federal agencies into chaos. Plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward, Justice Action Center, South Asian American Justice Collaborative (SAAJCO), Kuck Baxter LLC, Joseph & Hall, P.C., and IMMpact Litigation.
Plaintiffs’ and Co-Counsel’s quotes are below:
Plaintiffs:
American Association of University Professors
“Trump’s restrictions on H-1B visa applications will lead to less lifesaving research, reduced innovation, and diminished competitiveness, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors. “By discouraging the best and brightest minds from around the world—individuals who have enriched American higher education for decades—he’s sending a message: ‘You’re not welcome here. Go elsewhere.’ This short-sighted policy doesn’t just hurt universities — it hurts every American by slowing research breakthroughs, weakening our economy, and putting our global leadership at risk.”
Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU (CIR)
“Resident physicians with H-1B visas are highly skilled professionals who provide high-quality and compassionate care to patients throughout the United States. They are part of the very backbone of our healthcare system. The unconscionable fee for H-1B petitions called for in the President’s proclamation will have a devastating impact on our patients and their communities by reducing the number of resident physicians available to provide care at a time our country is already facing a serious shortage of physicians,” said Dr. Taylor Walker, CIR/SEIU President.
United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW International)
“This edict makes clear the U.S. is no longer open to the world’s most brilliant and hardworking scientists,” said UAW Region 6 Director Mike Miller. “It prioritizes wealth and connections over scientific acumen and diligence and tells the world that the U.S. is no longer a place to pursue scientific inquiry to solve some of the major diseases and other problems confronting us.”
Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America 4811
“UAW academic workers, many of whom are international, deliver groundbreaking research every day in labs across the country,” said Rafael Jaime, president of UAW 4811, which represents over 48,000 academic workers at the University of California. “They should be able to do their work without harassment, intimidation, or xenophobic threats from the President. We will continue to fight until this proposal is defeated.”
Co-Counsel:
Democracy Forward:
“This isn’t about helping American workers; it’s about shutting the door on American innovation and essential work and opening the door to corruption,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. “H-1B workers keep rural hospitals staffed, bring STEM education to schools with teacher shortages, advance lifesaving medical research, keep our tech sector competitive, and help small businesses thrive. President Trump cannot impose a six-figure immigration ransom by fiat. This exorbitant fee invites corruption and is unlawful, destabilizing, and bad for everyone — that’s why we’ve joined this powerful coalition to challenge it in court.”
Justice of Action Center:
“On September 19, the Trump administration essentially told medical staff, engineers, and visionaries to ‘Keep out,’ slamming the door on the employers who need them, and the communities they serve,” said Karen Tumlin, Founder and Director of Justice Action Center. “We filed this lawsuit not just for those who are working hard to strengthen America’s industries, hospitals, and schools, but for everyone in this country who stands to lose so much if these experts are effectively banned from entering the U.S.”
South Asian American Justice Collaborative
“South Asians make up the majority of H-1B workers and are part of the fabric of America, staffing rural hospitals, advancing lifesaving research, and driving innovation in businesses across the country. This unlawful fee threatens workers, their families, and the financial and social wellbeing of the communities in which they live,” said Kalpana V. Peddibhotla, Executive Director of the South Asian American Justice Collaborative
IMMpact Litigation“It’s an incredible honor to represent our courageous plaintiffs seeking justice for themselves and, where applicable, all their workers regardless of their immigration status. This is not about us and them, it’s about our America and the preservation of our amazing workforce of talented individuals from around the world,” said Jesse Bless, Member, IMMpact Litigation.