Trump Administration Proposes Increased Fees on Asylum Applications and DACA Renewals

The Trump Administration Announced Friday that it is Proposing to Increase Fees on Immigrants Filing Applications in the U.S., including a Controversial $50 Fee on Asylum Applications that quickly drew Democratic Opposition.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Published a Proposed Rule that would Adjust Fees in what it says is a Move to meet Operational Needs. It says the Average Increase is 21%. If left at their Current Level, USCIS would be Underfunded by $1.3 Billion a year, the Agency said.

These are Asylum Claims made from within the U.S., and therefore would Not Apply to People arriving Across the U.S.-Mexico Border or other Ports of Entry.

The Rule would also increase to $275 Fee for the Two-year Renewal of Recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Separately, Green Card Holders Applying to become Citizens would be Charged $1,170 for Filing the Form, rather than the current $640.

“USCIS is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures, just like a business, and make adjustments based on that analysis. This proposed adjustment in fees would ensure more applicants cover the true cost of their applications and minimizes subsidies from an already over-extended system,” USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli said in a Statement. “Furthermore, the adjudication of immigration applications and petitions requires in-depth screening, incurring costs that must be covered by the agency, and this proposal accounts for our operational needs and better aligns our fee schedule with the costs of processing each request,” he said.

The Agency says it Pays $366 in Adjudication costs to Process each Affirmative Asylum Application, bringing the Total to almost $1,800 once Overheads are Included. Therefore the $50 only Represents a Fraction of the Total Cost to the Federal Government.

However, the Proposal came under Fire from Democrats and Former USCIS Officials who were particularly Enraged by the $50 asylum Fee.

The Proposals come as Part of a Series of Measures that the Administration has Pushed that Opponents say have Increased Barriers to Poorer Immigrants and Asylum Seekers seeking to make a Home in the U.S.

An Increase is called for, but the Cost Increase needs to be Verified that it is Not Covering Inefficiencies in the system.










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