Republicans Float Charging Migrants $1,000 to Claim Asylum [View all]

Source: Newsweek

Published Apr 28, 2025 at 5:07 PM EDT | Updated Apr 28, 2025 at 6:21 PM EDT


House Republicans are looking at charging asylum seekers $1,000 to apply for protections when the process is currently free. The idea was floated in the latest House Judiciary reconciliation budget for 2025, which includes billions in funding for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to increase detention space and recruit more staff. Newsweek reached out to the Democratic Party House Judiciary Committee for comment via voicemail Monday afternoon.

Why It Matters

The budget gives a clear outline for how the Republican-controlled House plans to enable President Donald Trump's immigration agenda, appropriating new funding for an immigration system the party argues has long been underfunded. Increasing or adding fees for applications will likely generate backlash from immigration advocates, who argue that seeking asylum is a human right.

What To Know

At present, the United States does not charge immigrants to apply for asylum protections, which also stops them from being deported. There are fees to apply for temporary work and travel authorization. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), which oversees all visa applications, is solely funded by the fees it charges. The House budget framework makes reference to this, explaining that half of the revenue from a proposed $1,000 fee would go to the Department of Justice and the rest to the USCIS.

Asylum applicants would also have to pay $100 per year for each year their case is pending while also facing at least $550 every six months to keep an active work authorization. The plan, as currently proposed, states that no fee waivers would be granted for any of these applications or forms—an unusual step for programs that are generally offered to those who arrive with little to no resources.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/house-gop-new-asylum-application-fee-immigration-budget-2065304