A Mexican family traveled hours from North Dakota to Minnesota’s Fort Snelling immigration court on Tuesday, only to be caught in a whirlwind of confusion. What they thought would be a routine step toward seeking asylum turned into a costly, uncertain ordeal — thanks to new federal fees under President Donald Trump’s newly signed immigration law, the One Big Beautiful Bill.
For the first time in U.S. history, asylum seekers must now pay $100 to apply, plus an annual $100 fee for the life of their case — which could last years. That’s in addition to a $550 fee for a work permit, something previously free. These changes are already affecting immigrant families across Minnesota.
“We don’t know who to pay”
In court, Judge Audrey Carr was caught off guard. After instructing the family to submit their asylum paperwork immediately, her clerk informed her of the new fee requirements. Carr tried to help the family by signing a waiver — only to learn waivers are now prohibited under the new law.
Even more shocking: no one knew which federal agency should receive the payment.
“I can’t tell you who to pay,” Judge Carr admitted. “We haven’t been told where the money is to be sent.”
This confusion is not limited to one family or court. Advocates and legal experts across Minnesota are sounding the alarm.
A system already stretched — now with financial barriers
Minnesota immigration attorney Yasin Alsaidi, deputy director of Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, called the fees a direct attack on asylum as a right.
“It’s obvious we’re trying to prevent people from exercising a right that we have on the books,” he said.
He warned that with asylum backlogs sometimes stretching 7–8 years, families may now face thousands of dollars in fees just to keep their cases alive.
The U.S. is now one of only three countries worldwide that charge asylum seekers a fee — a move widely condemned by human rights organizations.
More vulnerable to exploitation
According to Lindsey Greising from The Advocates for Human Rights, immigrants already face significant barriers to navigating the system. These fees will now push even more people into exploitation.
“We see increases in exploitation whenever there are new roadblocks,” she said. “People end up working in unsafe or underpaid jobs just to afford legal fees.”
The concern is especially strong among Minnesota’s growing African and Somali communities, many of whom rely on asylum, TPS (Temporary Protected Status), or humanitarian parole as paths to protection and stability.
What’s changing?
Under the new law:
- Asylum seekers must pay:
- $100 to apply
- $100/year while their case is pending
- $550 for a work permit, $275 for renewals
- TPS applicants must now pay $500 (previously $50)
- Humanitarian parole costs $1,000
- Appeals and motions in immigration court now cost $900
- Deportation defense now costs $600–$1,500, depending on status
Worse still, fee waivers are no longer available in most cases, and all fees will automatically increase with inflation.
A community left in the dark
For the undocumented family in Fort Snelling court, the new law meant double heartbreak. They had already paid a man in Texas — who claimed to be a lawyer — to file their asylum claim, only to find out he had filed nothing at all.
“Can we submit the application today?” the wife asked Judge Carr.
The judge said yes — but the new fees stopped everything in its tracks. The family had no lawyer, no application, and now no clear path forward.
They are not alone. Thousands of families across Minnesota are likely to face the same confusion in the coming months.
What Now?
Minnesota’s legal aid organizations are urging the federal government to provide immediate clarity and compassion in rolling out the new law.
And for immigrants — especially those fleeing persecution — the message is clear: justice is no longer free.
