DHS Implements $1,000 Immigration Parole Fee for Foreign Nationals

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security implemented a $1,000 immigration parole fee on October 16, 2025. Mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, 2025, the charge applies to initial parole, re-parole, parole in place, and parole from DHS custody under INA Section 212(d)(5)(A).

Payments are collected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Approval for parole is contingent on payment, although ten statutory exemptions exist for urgent humanitarian or legal circumstances, including life-threatening medical emergencies, organ donation, and individuals serving as witnesses in investigations. The fee may be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated the measure is a tool to restore law and order and prevent the system from being used as a "de facto amnesty program." Administration officials further claimed the fee ensures foreign nationals have "skin in the game" to prevent exploitation of the system.

This policy is part of a broader Trump administration effort to reduce legal immigration pathways and increase deportations. This includes a separate attempt to raise H-1B visa fees to $100,000, which prompted a lawsuit from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The rollout follows an August ruling by U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, who blocked the agency from fast-tracking the deportation of hundreds of thousands of previously paroled immigrants.