Senate Republicans are back to negotiating a massive spending bill in Washington this week. The current version includes billions of dollars for immigration enforcement efforts, and changes to immigration applications.
The so-called "Big, Beautiful Bill" could transform federal government spending across the board, with changes ranging from Medicaid cuts to a supercharged Homeland Security budget to carry out deportations.
Things could also become more expensive for asylum seekers. People apply for that protection through Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS. The process has historically been free — it’s remained that way despite fee hikes for other visa and work permit applications USCIS announced last year.
But under the new bill, that application could cost as much as $1,000. That doesn’t include legal fees and other expenses asylum seekers face trying to remain in the U.S.
Over the last several weeks, asylum seekers with court dates in Phoenix and other cities have also been arrested by ICE outside the courthouse after the Trump administration attorneys moved to dismiss their cases.
