Mayor Woodfin Opposes Trump Administration Fee Hike Proposal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Wednesday, December 16, 2019

Carlos E. Aleman, Ph.D.

Proposed Rule Would Price out Working Class and Low-Income Immigrants who Already Struggle with High Cost of Application Fees for Citizenship, DACA, Asylum, and Other Immigration Benefits [Birmingham, AL] – Today, Mayor Randall L. Woodfin joined over 50 mayors in sending the Trump administration a letter in opposition to a proposed regulation that would increase immigration application fees, eliminate most fee waivers, and transfer funds from application fees to immigration enforcement.

“The city of Birmingham joins diverse communities across the nation in urging the proposed increase of fees to be withdrawn,” Mayor Woodfin said. “The current proposal creates a financial barrier to citizenship and other immigration benefits for low-income and working class immigrants.”

The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama (¡HICA!) applauds Mayor Woodfin for opposing the fee increase. “In times when there is so much uncertainty, it is critical for our local leaders to stand up and declare themselves on the side of the most vulnerable in our communities. Mayor Woodfin continues to demonstrate his leadership by making sure that Birmingham is a welcoming city for all,” said Isabel Rubio, Executive Director of the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama.

The proposed rule would increase the U.S. citizenship application fee by 83 percent, changing it from $640 to $1,170. It would also increase the fee for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewals from $495 to $765, adding yet another obstacle by the Trump administration to prevent DREAMers from applying, if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the program to continue.

Additionally, it would add a $50 fee for certain asylum applications. If implemented, the fees would make the U.S. just the fourth country in the world to charge those seeking asylum.

The rule would eliminate most fee waivers, despite last week a federal judge placing a nationwide preliminary injunction on the administration’s previous, separate effort to eliminate fee waivers for certain immigrants.

The proposal would also take $112 million that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) collects from application fees and transfer it to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for enforcement purposes.

The comment period for the rule, which could go into effect as early as Spring 2020, remains open until December 30th, less time than what the mayors and advocates requested.