A federal judge has blocked the Department of Homeland Security rule that was scheduled to end duration of status for F students, J exchange visitors and I representatives of foreign information media on September 15, 2026.
U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV granted nationwide preliminary relief on September 14 in Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et al., No. 1:26-cv-13799.
According to the plaintiffs’ statement announcing the ruling, the court prohibited DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from implementing the rule while the lawsuit continues.
What changes now
The longstanding duration of status framework remains in place nationwide. The fixed admission periods that were due to begin September 15 will not take effect while the preliminary relief remains operative.
For most F and J nonimmigrants admitted under duration of status, Form I-94 may continue to show “D/S” rather than a fixed expiration date. Maintaining lawful status still depends on complying with the requirements of the applicable student or exchange program.
The ruling also prevents implementation of the rule’s new fixed admission framework for representatives of foreign information media in I status.
What the blocked rule would have done
The DHS final rule published July 17 would have replaced duration of status with fixed admission periods.
F students and J exchange visitors generally would have received admission periods tied to their program dates, capped at four years. I nonimmigrants generally would have received admission for up to 240 days, with a shorter limit applying to certain passport holders.
People needing more time would have been required to seek an extension of stay or depart the United States and request a new period of admission. The rule also included changes affecting academic progression, school transfers, practical training and the post-completion grace period.
The ruling is preliminary
The court’s action prevents implementation now, but it does not end the lawsuit or permanently invalidate the rule.
The parties may continue litigating whether the rule is lawful, and the federal government may seek appellate review. A later court ruling could change the rule’s status.
The current operational conclusion is narrower but immediate: the September 15 implementation is blocked nationwide, and the existing duration of status framework remains in place.
The federal case docket identifies Judge Saylor and the District of Massachusetts case. TR Immigration will update this article when the written order and any subsequent appellate filings become publicly available.
What affected students and institutions should do
Students, exchange visitors, journalists and school officials should not apply the blocked fixed-period framework as though it took effect on September 15.
They should continue following the existing duration of status requirements and monitor formal guidance from DHS, ICE, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program and USCIS.
Anyone making a time-sensitive filing or travel decision should confirm the latest government guidance and review their own Form I-94 information. The ruling preserves D/S for now, but questions involving individual status, employment authorization and program compliance remain fact specific.
TR Immigration’s earlier explanation of the rule and its transition provisions is available in this background guide. Its September 15 implementation timeline has now been superseded by the court’s preliminary order.
