The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new $1,000 immigration fee for migrants granted humanitarian parole in the United States. This measure is described as an effort to promote accountability and deter fraud in the parole system. The new fee is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to tighten immigration policies and reduce the number of unauthorized migrants entering the country.
According to the DHS announcement, the fee will be imposed once the parole is granted, not when the request is submitted or a travel document is received. The charge is expected to be adjusted annually in line with the Consumer Price Index, with any changes communicated through the Federal Register. The funds collected will be managed by Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Citizenship and Immigration Services, which are tasked with enforcing immigration laws and managing the border.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, representing the administration, stated that the Biden administration had misused the immigration system by turning parole into a de facto amnesty program, allowing millions of unvetted illegal aliens into the U.S. The new fee, she argued, would ensure that those seeking to stay in the country contribute financially, thus preventing exploitation of the system.
The implementation of the fee is also part of a series of broader immigration-related measures, including the proposal for a $250 visa integrity fee for foreign travelers and a plan to raise H-1B visa costs to $100,000 to benefit American workers. These actions have sparked legal challenges, such as the ongoing lawsuit from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce regarding the H-1B visa fee increase.
The announcement was accompanied by a reference to a report suggesting that the Trump administration is offering teenage migrants a financial incentive to leave the U.S., highlighting the administration’s efforts to manage the immigration crisis through both deterrent and retention measures. Overall, these policies reflect the administration’s conservative stance on immigration, focusing on stricter enforcement and reducing the potential for abuse within the system.