New Delhi: The Trump administration intensified its push to overhaul the H-1B visa programme this week, linking immigration policy to Christian nationalism while unveiling regulatory changes that prioritise higher-paid foreign workers. The move coincided with a legal victory for the administration after a federal court upheld a $100,000 fee on new H-1B applications.Speaking on December 21 at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, US vice-president J.D. Vance defended tighter curbs on H-1B visas, saying the United States “has been and, by the grace of God, we always will be, a Christian nation.”Vance argued that a “true Christian politics” extends beyond protecting the unborn and promoting family values to include defending American workers. He stated that restricting H-1B visas aligns with Christian principles about the dignity of work.“Why have we worked without the help of Congress to restrict H-1B visas? Because we believe it is wrong for companies to bypass American labour just to go for cheaper options in the third world,” Vance told the audience.Changes to regulationsTwo days later, on December 23, the Department of Homeland Security announced amendments to H-1B regulations that will replace the current random lottery with a weighted selection process favouring higher-skilled and higher-paid applicants. The changes, due to take effect on February 27, 2026, will apply to the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap registration season.Announcing the rule, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said the existing lottery had been “exploited and abused” by employers seeking lower-wage labour. “The existing random selection process of H-1B registrations was exploited and abused by U.S. employers who were primarily seeking to import foreign workers at lower wages,” USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said. The department said the changes were intended to protect American wages and working conditions while preserving opportunities for employers across wage levels.The changes represent the latest in a series of aggressive moves by the Trump administration to restrict both legal and illegal immigration. Since September 2025, new H-1B petitions have required an additional $100,000 payment, a dramatic increase from the typical $2,000 to $5,000 in fees.The US Chamber of Commerce and the Association of American Universities challenged the fee in court, arguing it would force businesses to choose between dramatically increasing labour costs or hiring fewer highly-skilled foreign workers.Court rejects challengeOn Tuesday, US District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington rejected the challenge, ruling that it fell under the president’s broad powers to regulate immigration. The judge wrote that the debate over the policy’s wisdom was not within the province of the courts, and that the proclamation must be upheld so long as it fits within the confines of the law.Howell said Trump had adequately backed up his claim that the H-1B program was displacing US workers, citing examples of companies that laid off thousands of Americans while simultaneously petitioning for H-1B visas. Additional lawsuits from Democratic-led states and a coalition of employers, nonprofits and religious organisations remain pending.Beginning December 15, the State Department expanded social media reviews to all H-1B applicants and their dependents, requiring visa seekers to make their social media profiles public. The enhanced screening has caused significant disruptions, with H-1B visa interviews across India postponed for months, leaving many workers stranded.Indian professionals, who form the largest share of H-1B holders, face particular uncertainty. USCIS data show that Indian nationals account for over 70% of H-1B visas issued annually. For fiscal year 2026, the number of eligible unique beneficiaries fell to about 339,000, down from 442,000 the previous year.