Kothapally v. United States Department of Homeland Security

On September 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled on a preliminary injunction in Kothapally v. DHS. Plaintiff Ravi Kothapally, an Indian national on an H-1B visa working in artificial intelligence, sued after the Department of Homeland Security abruptly revoked the employment authorization documents (EADs) of H-4 dependent spouses without individualized notice. The revocation, effected via a policy memorandum, halted employment for over 90,000 H-4 visa holders. Kothapally argued that his spouse’s sudden loss of work authorization violated the Administrative Procedure Act’s prohibition on arbitrary agency action and the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. The court found a likelihood of success on the merits, noting the agency’s failure to provide a reasoned explanation or opportunity to be heard.

The court granted a temporary restraining order and converted it into a nationwide preliminary injunction, blocking DHS from enforcing the revocations and ordering the immediate reinstatement of all previously valid H-4 EADs until a full trial on the merits.

Whether the Department of Homeland Security’s mass revocation of H-4 spousal work permits, without prior notice, comment, or individualized determinations, violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the due process rights of non-immigrant families.

The ruling was a critical lifeline for tens of thousands of skilled immigrant families, predominantly women from India, who faced sudden loss of income and professional identity. It intensified the national debate over executive immigration powers, with tech industry leaders warning of talent pipeline disruptions. Immigrant rights groups celebrated the decision as a reaffirmation of procedural fairness, while restrictionist voices criticized it as judicial overreach into national security functions, setting the stage for a potential appellate battle.