The Trump administration faced a double legal setback regarding its immigration policies this week, as a federal judge blocked proposed visa time limits and a coalition of states filed lawsuits challenging a regulation that could deny green cards to immigrants utilizing public benefits.

A US federal judge in Boston on Monday issued an injunction preventing the administration from implementing fixed time limits on visas for foreign students and journalists. This decision came just before the regulation was set to take effect.

US District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV granted the injunction, requested by trade unions and higher education groups, against the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) rule. The regulation would have capped F visas for international students and J visas for cultural exchange programs at four years, and limited I visas for journalists to 240 days. Judge Saylor, appointed by President George W. Bush, found the administration's justifications of national security and fraud prevention to be "exceptionally weak."

Judge Saylor highlighted the significant contributions of millions of foreign scholars to US research and economic growth, warning that the proposed caps could have "catastrophic" damage to higher education and the broader economy. The blocked rule was expected to affect approximately 1.6 million international students on F visas and about 500,000 exchange visitors on J visas.

Simultaneously, two lawsuits were filed in a Manhattan federal court on Monday, aiming to halt a separate DHS regulation that expands the criteria for deeming immigrants inadmissible as a "public charge." This rule, slated to take effect on Friday, would allow immigration authorities to deny green cards to individuals who have lawfully used public benefits, such as food stamps or housing assistance.

The states challenging the "public charge" rule include New York, California, Illinois, Vermont, and Maine, among others. They argue that the regulation would undermine federal and state public health and nutrition programs, disproportionately harm immigrant communities, and create fear that would deter individuals from seeking essential services.

Administration officials have stated that the "public charge" rule is designed to ensure immigrants can support themselves financially and are not reliant on public assistance. However, critics contend that the expanded definition of public charge is overly broad and could lead to the denial of green cards for a vast number of immigrants, even those who have not received significant public benefits.

These legal challenges represent a significant hurdle for the Trump administration's efforts to reshape immigration policy. The court rulings and lawsuits raise questions about the legality and feasibility of the administration's approach to controlling immigration and its impact on international students, journalists, and aspiring permanent residents.