The Department of Homeland Security has introduced new immigration-related fees and enforcement measures through an interim final rule implementing provisions of the H.R. 1 Reconciliation Act of 2025, aimed at increasing funding for immigration enforcement operations and requiring applicants to bear more of the associated costs.
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A central component of the rule is the Annual Asylum Fee (AAF), which must be paid each calendar year while an asylum application remains pending. The fee is $102 per year. The agency stated that individuals who fail to pay the fee within 30 days of notification will have their applications rejected. If those individuals do not have legal status in the United States, removal proceedings may also be initiated.
The rule outlines additional consequences tied to rejected asylum applications. Pending requests for employment authorization filed through Form I-765 will be denied, and individuals who were previously granted work authorization based on a pending asylum application will lose that authorization immediately.
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The policy builds on a Federal Register notice issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in July 2025, which introduced a filing fee for Form I-589 and established the annual fee requirement. Under the new rule, the agency will retain the filing fee even if the form is rejected for improper submission.
Additional provisions affect other immigration processes. The rule limits employment authorization for individuals under Temporary Protected Status to one year or the remaining period of designation, whichever is shorter. It also establishes a minimum $24 filing fee for Form I-102.
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The interim final rule will take effect on May 29, 2026. Beginning on that date, applications lacking the required filing fee for Form I-102 will be rejected if postmarked on or after the effective date. Pending asylum applications may also be rejected if the Annual Asylum Fee is not paid as required. The department will accept public comments on the rule through June 29, 2026.
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