U.S. seeks to hike fees for immigration applications and impose first-ever asylum charge

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Washington — The Trump administration rolled out a proposal Friday to hike application fees for immigrants seeking to remain in the U.S. — including a first-ever charge for those seeking refuge. It's the administration's latest move to restrict pathways for obtaining asylum and immigration benefits like U.S. citizenship.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency in charge of administering immigration benefits, unveiled a proposed rule that would significantly increase petition fees for immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, for young undocumented immigrants looking to renew protections from deportation and for victims of crimes who are seeking to stay in the country through their assistance to law enforcement.

The proposal would impose a $50 application fee for affirmative asylum applications and a $490 work permit fee for all asylum seekers. Fees for citizenship petitions would also increase from $750 to $1,170, and the amount could be higher for some immigrants.

"It's an unprecedented weaponization of government fees," Doug Rand, an Obama White House official who co-founded a company to help immigrants navigate the U.S. immigration system, said in a statement.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-seeks-to-hike-fees-for-immigration-applications-and-impose-first-ever-asylum-charge/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=76786113

[Newest Reality]

1. All I can say is...

We, as a people, have a very long list of priorities concerning problems that need attention, solutions and funding. That, basically, is what we form a government for, to act in our behalf and use our collective revenue and civil institutions to reckon with these problems on behalf of the common welfare. We elect civil servants to do service for us.

I know that represents the ideal functioning of government, but I think it is a befitting contrast to what we are getting. It is either a focus on, often ridiculous, emotional wedge issues, or, as we are seeing time and time again with this maladministration, a grab bag of issues that have some political or manipulative motive behind them.

Enough. Enough. Enough. We are not getting our money's worth or even a hint of representation or value from this. It is just a really bad reality TV show of noises that provoke reactions.

Meanwhile Rome is still on fire and a hot wind of nonsense blows from the White House.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. Adding a link:

Hat tip, Joe.My.God.

Trump Admin To Raise Naturalization Fee By $500
August 1, 2020

US to raise naturalization application fees by $500

By Geneva Sands, CNN

Updated 9:09 AM ET, Fri July 31, 2020