A federal judge ruled the administration may impose a $100,000 filing fee on new H‑1B petitions, a decision that strengthens the policy but leaves other legal challenges pending. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell concluded the president acted within statutory authority, dealing a setback to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and industry groups that sued to block the rule. Multiple suits remain active, including challenges from states and a nurse‑staffing agency; the ruling does not preclude further injunctions elsewhere. Universities and research institutes warned the fee will make hiring international researchers and adjunct faculty cost‑prohibitive and could slow enrollment and research collaboration. Why it matters: the ruling could reshape faculty recruiting budgets, postdoctoral hiring and STEM research pipelines. Higher‑education HR and grants offices should model fee impacts and accelerate visa strategy planning to retain global talent.