Federal Judge Blocks New F-1/J-1 Rule From Taking Effect September 15, 2026

The ruling is in Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-13799 (D. Mass.).

Judge Saylor granted relief under § 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), postponing the effective date of the Final Rule.

What This Means Right Now

The September 15 implementation is stopped.

The existing Duration of Status (D/S) system therefore remains in place while the litigation proceeds.

The new fixed-duration system — including the four-year maximum admission framework and associated restrictions — does not become effective tomorrow as scheduled.

The Rule Has Not Been Permanently Vacated

Importantly, Judge Saylor did not permanently vacate the rule at this stage.

He granted the plaintiffs’ request specifically to postpone its effective date under 5 U.S.C. § 705.

Requests for vacatur, summary judgment, or other relief were denied without prejudice, meaning those issues can be raised again as the case continues.

The Judge’s Reasoning

The court's assessment of DHS's justification was notably critical.

According to Reuters, Judge Saylor characterized DHS’s rationales as “exceptionally weak” and concluded that the damage to American higher education and the U.S. economy from implementing the rule was likely to be “catastrophic.”

Bottom Line

For F-1 and J-1 students, schools, and exchange programs, the immediate takeaway is straightforward:

The new fixed-duration rule will not take effect on September 15, 2026. The existing Duration of Status (D/S) framework remains in place while the court case continues.

The litigation itself is not over, and further court decisions could affect the rule's future.