The new policy, slated for implementation on September 15, replaces the current "duration of status" system with restrictive time limits. Under these changes, student and exchange visas are capped at four years, while media professionals face a 240-day limit, which drops to 90 days for Chinese nationals. Plaintiffs argue the move will be catastrophic for academic institutions, stripping them of talent and essential economic contributions while deterring scholars from choosing the United States.

Jon Schleuss, president of the NewsGuild-CWA, characterized the policy as a direct attack on journalists. The Department of Homeland Security dismissed the legal challenge as performative, asserting that the measures are necessary to curb fraud and ensure that only those with genuine intentions receive visa privileges. The agency provided no specific evidence of such fraud in its response to the filing.