U.S. Considers Fee to Apply for Asylum

“The Trump administration is considering charging immigrants a fee to apply for asylum protection in the United States,” BuzzFeed News reports.

“The proposal, included in a not-yet-finalized draft regulation, would charge applicants, if they are already residing in the US, $50 to apply for asylum. Currently, there is no fee to enter an ‘affirmative asylum’ application. The fee would not apply to those who claim a fear of persecution at ports of entry or those who apply for the protections while in deportation proceedings. There would be no waiver of the fee for those who cannot afford to pay the $50.”