On September 14, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction order and accompanying memorandum postponing the effective date of the Department of Homeland Security's Final Rule, “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.” The injunction followed a lawsuit filed on August 18, 2026, by multiple plaintiffs, including the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration; NAFSA: Association of International Educators; Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts; American Federation of Teachers; Graduate Labor Organization, AFT Local 6516, of Brown University; The NewsGuild-CWA; International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America; and United Auto Workers Local 2322.

The Final Rule was scheduled to go into effect on September 15, 2026. Under the preliminary injunction, implementation of the rule is postponed until legal proceedings are concluded. Current regulations regarding "duration of status" remain in effect until further notice.

Because the preliminary injunction only temporarily pauses implementation of the rule pending a final court determination, ISSS will continue to actively monitor this case as it unfolds. We will update our website and inform the community as further developments warrant.