* Every now and then we take a look at what AG Kwame Raoul has been up to because much of it isn’t covered by the news media. Press release today…

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL FILES LAWSUIT OVER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S UNLAWFUL NEW $100,000 FEE FOR H-1B VISA

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over its unlawful policy imposing a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa petitions for highly-skilled foreign national workers.

In the lawsuit that will be filed, Raoul and the coalition allege the policy implemented by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) violates the law because it charges an additional, unwarranted fee that is contrary to Congress’ intent in establishing H-1B visas to temporarily fill positions in specialty occupations, like physicians, researchers, nurses and teachers. Additionally, the fee bypasses required rulemaking procedures and exceeds the authority granted to the executive branch under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

“The $100,000 visa fee is devastating for all states, including Illinois, and threatens the quality of education, healthcare, and other core services available to our residents,” Raoul said. “The H-1B visa is essential to alleviate nationwide labor shortages, and I will continue to work with fellow attorneys general in protecting this critical program.”

President Trump issued a proclamation in September imposing an unprecedented $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa petitions, undermining the purpose of the program and making it harder to address severe labor shortages in critical fields. The policy affects any visa application filed after Sept. 21, 2025, and purports to grant the Secretary of Homeland Security broad discretion to determine which petitions are subject to the fee or eligible for an exemption. Raoul and the coalition are concerned that this unjustified measure could be applied selectively against employers disfavored by the Trump administration.

Raoul and the coalition’s lawsuit explains that Congress has on many occasions since the H-1B visa program’s inception modified it to meet employers’ labor needs while protecting the interests of American workers to ensure that they are not wrongfully displaced. For example, Congress has enhanced enforcement, increased penalties, and set fees though legislation for to prevent misuse of the program.

In petitioning for an H-1B worker, employers must submit an application to show employment of the H-1B worker will not negatively affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

Fees associated with H-1B visas have long been established by DHS following the APA’s notice-and-comment process pursuant to congressional authority, which limits fees to a reasonable amount necessary to administer the program. Typically, an employer filing an initial H-1B petition would expect to pay between $960 to $7,595 in regulatory and statutory fees. The Trump administration’s $100,000 fee far exceeds the actual cost of processing H-1B petitions. By imposing this additional fee, Raoul and the attorneys general argue that the administration is acting arbitrarily and exceeding the fee-setting authority granted by Congress.

Additionally, the Trump administration issued the fee without going through the notice-and-comment process required by the APA and without considering the full range of impacts.

Raoul and the coalition’s lawsuit state hospitals and other healthcare centers rely on the H-1B visa program to hire physicians, surgeons and nurses. Without foreign-trained physicians, the United States is projecting a shortfall of 86,000 physicians by 2036. Additionally, educators are the third-largest occupation for H-1B visa holders, with nearly 30,000 educators receiving the visas, and nearly a thousand colleges and universities employ hundreds of H-1B personnel to support their research and education missions.

In Illinois’ 2023-2024 school year, 3,684 teaching positions remained unfilled. The lawsuit explains that rising H-1B visa costs are disrupting international recruitment to address staffing needs. Some Illinois schools rely on the H-1B program to hire specialized staff for difficult to fill positions, including bilingual teachers, special education teachers, and bilingual speech-language pathologists.
Joining Raoul in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin in filing the lawsuit.

* Tuesday…

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SECURES COURT VICTORY PREVENTING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM HALTING DEVELOPMENT OF WIND ENERGY

Chicago — Attorney General Kwame Raoul won his lawsuit against the Trump administration over its unlawful order to freeze all federal permitting of wind energy projects.

In May, Raoul and a coalition of attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to indefinitely halt all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending federal review. Today, a federal judge in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts vacated those actions, ruling that they were arbitrary and capricious and contrary to law.

“Wind energy is a key component in Illinois’ transition to a renewable energy future,” Raoul said. “The Trump administration’s attempt to effectively halt all wind energy development was illegal and baseless. I am pleased with the court’s decision, and I will continue to push back against the president’s unlawful actions.”

On Jan. 20, President Trump issued a memorandum that, among other things, indefinitely froze all federal approvals needed for the development of wind energy projects pending federal review. Pursuant to this directive, federal agencies stopped all permitting and approval activities.

In their lawsuit, the attorneys general alleged that President Trump’s directive harmed their states’ efforts to secure reliable, diversified and affordable sources of energy to meet their increasing demand for electricity and help reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants; meet clean energy goals; and address climate change. The directive also threatened to thwart billions of dollars of states’ investments in wind industry infrastructure, supply chains and workforce development.

Illinois is one of the top states in the country for producing renewable energy from wind, and even more development of wind power in Illinois is planned for the near future.

The coalition argued that federal agencies’ actions violated the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws because the agencies, among other things, provided no reasoned explanation for categorically and indefinitely halting all wind energy approvals. The lawsuit also argued that the abrupt halt on all permitting violated numerous federal statutes that prescribe specific procedures and timelines for federal permitting and approvals, procedures the administration wholly disregarded in stopping wind-energy development altogether.

Attorney General Raoul was joined in filing the lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

* Last week…

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SECURES PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION BLOCKING PROVISION THAT CUTS OFF MEDICAID FUNDING FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul secured a preliminary injunction in an ongoing lawsuit to block the Trump administration from enforcing the “Defund Provision” in the recently enacted federal budget reconciliation law. The Defund Provision was designed to exclude Planned Parenthood facilities and other health centers that provide abortions from receiving federal Medicaid reimbursements for other essential health care services like cancer screenings, testing for and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), birth control, and other critical medical services. Because long-standing federal law already prohibits federal dollars from being used to cover abortion care, the Defund Provision is intended to completely prevent these reproductive health clinics from receiving Medicaid dollars for providing any essential health care services to low-income patients.

In July, Raoul joined a coalition of 22 states in filing a lawsuit challenging the provision.

“Planned Parenthood facilities play a key role in our nation’s health and wellness by providing comprehensive care to more than 1 million Americans,” Raoul said. “The Defund Provision is a cruel and unconstitutional attempt to create confusion and attack abortion providers while burdening states’ agencies and health care systems. I’m pleased with the court’s ruling, and I will continue advocating for vital federal funding that ensures every person in Illinois has access to the health care services they need.”

The injunction, issued by Judge Indira Talwani from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, orders the Trump administration to not enforce the Defund Provision and requires the administration to ensure that Medicaid continues to be distributed as usual. Judge Talwani placed a seven-day administrative stay on the injunction to allow the administration an opportunity to appeal. […]

Attorney General Raoul was joined in filing the lawsuit by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, as well as the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Thoughts?