CRACKDOWN

Trump Administration Moves to Jack Up Fees for Migrants to Fight Deportation

The proposal reportedly seeks to raise the fee for filing appeals from $110 to $975.

The Trump administration has moved to jack up fees to appeal deportation orders from $110 to $975 in a proposal that would have a profound impact on thousands of immigrants. The Justice Department published the proposed change in the Federal Register on Thursday, leaving 30 days for the public to sound off on the idea before it takes effect. Immigration advocates have already come out firmly against the drastic fee increase. “The proposal is like a poll tax for voters, but here the failure to overcome the barrier isn’t the loss of franchise but banishment from the country,” said Tom Jawetz, vice president of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress. The proposed 800-percent fee increase was described by the Justice Department as a proportional response to the higher inflation rate, The Wall Street Journal reported. The U.S. Citizens and Immigration Services last year nearly doubled the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship and also added new fees for those seeking asylum.