On July 4th, coinciding with Independence Day, President Donald Trump signed into law his "Big and Beautiful Act," which narrowly passed through Congress with a vote of 218-214. This legislation brings unfortunate news for immigrants as it significantly raises the costs of immigration procedures. CiberCuba discussed these new fees on Monday with Wilfredo Allen, a Florida-based attorney specializing in immigration law. Allen believes that while the law may not be retroactive, it will make all processes more expensive in practice. "Things are going to get expensive!" he exclaimed during his weekly program on this platform, which airs Mondays at 11:00 AM Miami time.
Allen elaborated, "Let's be clear, many people will lose their asylum claims. Previously, an appeal cost $110. Now, it is $900. If your residency is denied or if you had any USCIS benefits, the appeal will set you back $900." He continued, "When you see appeals jumping from $110 to $900 each, you realize how costly things become. The application for residency is now $1,500, which is quite a high price. If you're requesting a waiver for residency, the I-601 form will now cost $1,050. This applies when you need to apply for residency but also need a waiver for a minor offense or something that happened," Allen clarified.
"We are talking about paying $2,550 to apply for your residency. The I-246 form, which we frequently use to suspend deportations, now costs $600. The application for the 42A form, seeking a formal pardon for criminal offenses when someone is a resident, has increased to $1,500, and reopening cases is now $5,200. In court, these are not enormous cases. I also know that, for instance, applying for parole costs $1,000. This doesn't guarantee approval; it's simply the fee to apply for parole," Allen emphasized.
Furthermore, Allen explained that "applying for your first asylum work permit costs $550, and subsequent permits cost $275. You can see that expenses have increased. Why? The intention is also to make things more challenging for immigrants. Now, in almost everything you do, you can request a waiver for fees, but getting approval will be quite difficult because applying for a fee waiver doesn't mean it will be granted." Allen illustrated this point with an example: if someone is applying for residency and simultaneously requests a fee waiver due to low income, "First, they have to approve your fee waiver request before reviewing your residency application. It's a two-step process. This can always create complications in the future. However, this administration is increasing existing fees as part of its strategy to intimidate and target immigrants," Allen asserted.
When asked if these new fees could be retroactive, Willy Allen warned, "The devil is in the details. Once it begins, we'll have to see if asylum payments will be retroactive or if they will start from today onward, which would be the right approach, or how it will all play out. Surprises always come. Once the details are revealed, they can hit hard."
Understanding the Impact of New Immigration Fees
What are the new costs for immigration appeals under Trump's law?
Under the new law, the cost of immigration appeals has increased from $110 to $900.
How much does applying for residency now cost?
The application for residency now costs $1,500, and if a waiver is needed, the total can reach $2,550.
Are fee waivers easy to obtain under the new regulations?
Obtaining a fee waiver is quite challenging, as applying for a waiver does not guarantee approval.