DHS Advances H.R.1 with New Fees, Rejections Tied to Unpaid Asylum Applications

DHS released an interim final rule under H.R.1 to fund immigration services, introducing an Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) due while an asylum case is pending and new filing and work-authority consequences. If the AAF isn’t paid within 30 days, USCIS will reject the pending Form I-589, deny related Form I-765 employment authorization, and, for those without status, initiate removal. The rule also clarifies that the I-589 filing fee may be retained if rejected as improperly filed, tightens TPS employment authorization to at most one year, adds a minimum $24 fee for Form I-102, and becomes effective May 29, 2026, with public comments due by June 29, 2026.