President Donald Trump signed a proclamation in September instituting a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions, a move university leaders say will directly affect faculty and research hiring. Colleges that rely on foreign scholars — including Stanford, the University of Michigan and Columbia, which each employ hundreds under H-1B — warned the one-time surcharge could deter outside talent and complicate recruitment for labs and classrooms. Immigration lawyers and higher-education advocates are seeking clarity on exemptions and change-of-status guidance from USCIS; campus HR and research offices face operational uncertainty as institutions assess budget and hiring plans.