Second Court Blocks Visa Fee Rule, Doubts DHS Chief’s Authority

A second federal court has blocked U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from implementing its new visa fee rule, signaling another likely win for immigrant assistance groups that have challenged the measure.

The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Ayuda Inc., and Casa de Maryland demonstrated “a substantial likelihood that they will succeed on the merits” and that they will “suffer irreparable harm if the Final Rule is allowed to take effect,” U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss said in a ruling issued Thursday.

Moss also found that acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf acted “without authority” when he approved the visa fee ...