Green-card applicants could soon be hit with a $100,000 bond, under plans being drawn up by the State Department.
Spokesman Tommy Pigott said the Trump admin is considering the move to ensure immigrants are “financially self-sufficient” and “contribute to our society more than they take from it.”
“We are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security to introduce commonsense and effective procedures to enforce U.S. laws, restore the integrity of our immigration system, and protect American public benefits programs from the financial burden of foreigners who arrive with major expensive medical or other needs,” Pigott said in a statement to The Hill.
“As part of this comprehensive initiative, the Department is exploring the use of a long-standing legal authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to require certain visa applicants — those who are otherwise ineligible for a visa because they are likely become a public charge — to post a bond as a way to demonstrate they have access to the funds needed to support themselves,” he added.
A six-figure fee was also introduced by the Trump admin in an attempt to cut down on H-1B visa fraud. The fee was struck down by a federal judge, who said the fee had usurped the power of Congress to set immigration policy and taxation.
H-1B visas have been a flashpoint for the Trump administration as it seeks immigration reform, with debate leading to the departure of Vivek Ramaswamy from the Department of Government Efficiency and a personal falling out between President Trump and Elon Musk.
The $100,000 fee for green-card applicants would be a steep increase on current charges. The money would be collected from individuals or family members in the US and then returned at a later date.
According to The Hill, “The traditional green-card application fee depends on the specific category and whether the applicant is applying from inside or outside the U.S.
“The standard filing fee for Form I-485 is $1,440 for those applying within the country, but those who need to apply for a work permit and travel documents incur additional fees unless filed concurrently under specific conditions.
“A $325 DS-260 visa application fee is traditionally paid by those applying from outside of the U.S. through the Department of State’s online Consular Electronic Application Center portal.
“The payment is followed by a $235 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services immigrant fee to process their packet and produce their card after the visa is approved.”
The Trump administration has already introduced similar bonds, of $15,000, for visa holders from 50 African countries, including Malawi and Zambia. If the visa holder overstays their visa, the money is forfeited.
The bonds have led to significant decreases in the number of applicants from the countries affected.
2 Responses
Just shut off the welfare spigot and the broke-ass ones will stop coming on their own. The biggest reason they can afford to relocate is that all living expenses are being paid, largely through recycled USaid funds. Simply stop incentivizing the invasion and the problem will be reduced by about 80%, without draconian government action.
It’s not the Chinese it’s the trump administration who seek to use your data against US citizens – U.S. District Judge Sparkle Sooknanan blocked the Trump administration from compiling and sharing a centralized database of Americans’ sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and citizenship status. “The federal government has knowingly trampled on the privacy rights of American citizens in a manner that threatens the sacred right to vote”. Trump is trying to throw US citizens off the voter roll. “Since then, states have run their voter rolls through the modified SAVE system, and some of the Plaintiffs’ members have been wrongfully identified as non-citizens by SAVE, resulting in the cancellation of their voter registrations,” said Judge Sparkle. Now we see what SAVE is all about, it’s about cheating in those swing states – ai view – Yes, the SAVE Act contains provisions that voting rights groups warn would result in eligible American voters being wrongfully removed or “purged” from voter rolls, its strict data-matching mandates and documentation rules would inadvertently throw millions of legitimate U.S. citizens off the rolls.