Sri Lanka, Dec. 24 -- A federal judge on Tuesday rejected a challenge by the largest U.S. business lobby group to President Donald Trump's $100,000 fee on new H-1B visas for highly skilled foreign workers, saying it fell under his broad powers to regulate immigration.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., rejected arguments by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that the fee conflicts with federal immigration law and will lead many companies, hospitals and other employers to cut jobs and the services they provide to the public.

"The parties' vigorous debate over the ultimate wisdom of this political judgment is not within the province of the courts," Howell wrote, opens new tab. "So long as the actions dictated by the policy de...