Judge Declines to Block Visa Fee Hikes Before Effective Date (1)

A federal district court judge denied a request to delay impending immigration fee hikes while litigation over their legality proceeds.

Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney of the US District Court for the District of Colorado found Friday that the plaintiffs “failed to show that any harm is imminent, great, and irreparable” if the fee increases were to go into effect April 1 as planned. Those harms also don’t outweigh the harm to the government of putting the new fees on hold, she said.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services had said blocking the fee hikes would cost the agency about $3.1 million ...