House Republicans have introduced a new proposal that would increase fees for certain immigrants, including asylum applicants, parolees, and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients.
According to Boundless Immigration, the legislation, introduced by the House Judiciary Committee, seeks to raise $77 billion to fund immigration enforcement by imposing higher fees on legal immigration applications.
The proposed fees would require asylum seekers, parolees, and TPS recipients to pay $550 every six months to renew their work permits (Form I-765), in addition to a $550 fee for the initial application. The proposal would also introduce several other fees, including:
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A $1,000 fee for asylum applications, the first of its kind in U.S. history.
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A $1,000 fee for most immigrants paroled into the United States.
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A $3,500 fee for sponsors of children arriving alone at the border.
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A $100 annual fee for asylum seekers while their cases are pending.
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The elimination of fee waivers, which currently help low-income applicants.
The proposal is part of a broader effort to fund the U.S. immigration system, with supporters like House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) arguing that the new fees would help raise funds for immigration enforcement, including expanding detention centers, increasing staffing at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and supporting immigration courts. Jordan noted that the current fee structure hasn’t been updated in decades and doesn’t fully reflect the costs associated with immigration processing.
Historically, asylum applications have been free, reflecting the United States’ humanitarian approach to protecting individuals fleeing persecution. The proposed fees would be the first to be charged for asylum applications in U.S. history. Asylum seekers have traditionally been allowed to apply without paying a fee, a policy supported by both Democratic and Republican administrations over the years to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent people from seeking protection.
Work permits are also currently subject to fees. As it stands, the filing fee for Form I-765, which is used to apply for or renew a work permit, is $520 for paper applications or $470 for online submissions. The proposed legislation would increase these costs significantly for asylum applicants, parolees, and TPS recipients, while reducing the validity of employment authorizations to just six months—requiring these individuals to renew their permits far more frequently than under the current system.
If passed, the new fee structure could place a significant financial burden on immigrants seeking to stay in the U.S., especially those who are already in vulnerable situations. These proposed changes, however, must still go through Congress and be signed into law before they take effect. For now, applicants continue to use the current forms and fees while the proposal moves through the legislative process.
