WASHINGTON, Usa – Republican lawmakers are proposing a plan that would grant former President Donald Trump broad authority to impose steep fees on asylum seekers in the U.S., including a mandatory $1,000 fee per application — part of a sweeping list of new or increased immigration-related charges.
The proposal, currently under discussion in the House Judiciary Committee, which is led by Republicans, is part of a broader legislative effort to enact key elements of Trump’s political agenda. The plan seeks to overhaul immigration policy, enhance national security, and curb what Republicans describe as excessive federal oversight.
According to the latest data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Statistics, nearly 54,000 foreign nationals were granted asylum in the United States in 2023.
In countries like Afghanistan, $1,000 equals approximately two and a half years of income. In Venezuela, it typically takes about three months of wages to earn that amount.
“President Trump and House Republicans are committed to restoring the immigration system, strengthening national security, and reining in the overreach of the federal government,” the committee said in a statement unveiling the legislation.
The Judiciary Committee — one of the budget-setting subcommittees in the House — is crafting its specific portion of a broader Republican bill. That bill also includes tax cuts, immigration control measures, and policies aimed at boosting domestic energy production.
A key provision in the proposal would authorize Trump to impose high fees on asylum seekers and other immigration applicants as a condition for remaining in the U.S.
For the first time in U.S. history, the bill would require a minimum fee of $1,000 for each asylum application. Additional proposed fees include:
A $1,000 fee for individuals on temporary parole,
A $550 biannual fee for work permits,
A $1,500 fee for adjustment of status applications before an immigration judge.
The legislation also proposes a harsh $8,500 sponsorship fee for anyone seeking to sponsor a child in federal immigration custody. $5,000 of that would only be refunded if the child avoids a deportation order due to a missed court date.
“This fee would prevent most people from sponsoring children,” wrote Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior policy analyst at the American Immigration Council, on social media.
The bill would also fund the hiring of 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and criminal investigators at the Department of Homeland Security.
Additionally, it would strip the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of its authority to handle commercial law violations by transferring those cases to the Department of Justice — effectively weakening the independence of the FTC.
This proposal was first introduced earlier this year in a separate bill and has received strong support from Elon Musk, one of Trump’s advisors on government efficiency reforms.
HORN LIFE
