On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed a new law called One Big Beautiful Bill, The H.R. 1 Act, officially known as H.R. 1. Although this law allocates more than $170 billion in funds to strengthen border security, build detention centers, and increase deportation capacity, one of the most concerning changes for immigrant communities is the increase drastic in the costs of immigration applications.

What exactly is this law?

H.R. 1 is a massive legislative package that prioritizes immigration control, the construction of the border wall, the increase in arrests, and the militarization of the border. It also imposes new restrictions and economic burdens on those seeking to regularize their legal immigration status.

How do migratory costs increase?

The law turns the immigration system into a “pay to play” system (pay-to-play system), imposing new tariffs or drastically increasing the already existing ones. Some examples:

• Asylum seekers now they have to pay $100 to submit their application (it used to be free) more $100 additional per year that his case remains pending.

• Work permits for asylum seekers: $550 for the initial subscription (previously it was free), and $275 for the renewal.

• TPS: from $50 to $500.

• Humanitarian parole: increases from $630 to $1,000.

• Special Immigrant Juveniles (SIJS): it used to be free, now it's $250.

• Appeals before an immigration judge: from $110 to $900.

The most alarming thing is that many of these tariffs they do not allow exemptions. In other words, if you can't pay, you can't move forward with your case.

For a complete list of USCIS fees, see Form G-1055 from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), “Table of Fees”, last update on July 14, 2025.

What impact will this have?

This increase in fees represents a monumental obstacle for thousands of people seeking protection, especially for asylum seekers, victims of violence, migrant children, and people with low resources.

Furthermore, by imposing annual fees on those who have been trapped in the system for years due to the government's delay, this law He transfers the blame for the delay to the applicants, By penalizing their wait with repeated payments.

What can we do?

It is essential that people become aware of these changes and seek legal advice as soon as possible. The economic impact will be significant, and understanding the new costs can help you plan or present your case before the increase takes effect in full.

Call us at 202-709-6439 o click here for a consultation directly with attorney Lauren Eagan.

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.