The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday a significant change to its immigration policies, introducing a new $1,000 fee for migrants paroled into the United States. This move aims to enhance accountability within the immigration system and curb widespread abuse of the parole system, according to the agency.

DHS emphasized that the new fee is designed to bolster the oversight of the immigration parole process and serve as a deterrent against its misuse. In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin criticized the current administration’s handling of immigration, accusing it of exploiting the system by turning parole into what she described as a “de facto amnesty program.” She claimed that this approach allowed unvetted illegal immigrants into the country, adversely affecting American citizens.

McLaughlin further explained that the introduction of this fee by President Trump and Secretary Noem aims to ensure that foreign nationals who wish to remain in the U.S. are financially invested in the process and are discouraged from taking advantage of the system. She noted that this new measure is part of a broader effort to restore order and integrity to the nation’s immigration policies.

Importantly, the $1,000 fee will be imposed once a parole grant is approved, rather than at the initial request stage or upon receipt of a travel document.

“Through the implementation of this new fee, President Trump and Secretary Noem are guaranteeing that foreign nationals, who wish to stay here, have skin in the game and do not exploit the system,” she continued. “This immigration parole fee notice is another tool to stop the degradation of our immigration system and restore law and order to our country.”

The fees are triggered once the grant is effective, not when a parole request is filed or a travel document is received.

The fee seeks to “strengthen oversight of the immigration parole system and deter its misuse.” ((Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images))

The $1,000 parole fee may be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index. DHS said it will publish an annual notice in the Federal Register to announce any adjusted fees.

The money will be collected by Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The fee will be collected by Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Citizenship and Immigration Services. (Getty Images)

The move comes as the Trump administration continues its efforts to mass deport illegal migrants and reduce pathways for legal immigration, including the president’s attempt to raise the fee for H-1B visa applications to $100,000 to prioritize American workers, which prompted a lawsuit from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.