US Judge in Seattle Tosses Lawsuit Over Green Cards Decision

SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge in Seattle has thrown out a lawsuit by highly skilled immigrants from India and China who said they should have been allowed to apply to become legal permanent residents.

The lawsuit was filed last fall on behalf of tens of thousands of immigrants, many of whom work for top tech companies and medical firms.

They said that early last September, a State Department bulletin announced what categories of immigrants would be allowed to apply for their green cards beginning last Oct. 1. Because they fell in that category, they started spending thousands of dollars apiece on legal fees, paperwork and medical tests.

But on Sept. 25, the government revised its bulletin, severely curtailing who could apply.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez dismissed the lawsuit Monday, saying the original announcement did not confer any rights on the immigrants.