A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to collect a fee for credible fear interviews, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 11, 2026 · Last action June 11, 2026
Plain English Summary
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to charge a fee to asylum seekers who undergo credible fear interviews—the initial screening process where migrants must show they face persecution or torture if returned home. Currently, these interviews are free; the bill would create a new cost barrier for people seeking asylum protection.
Who benefits
DHS gains a new revenue stream from fee collection. Construction, finance, and energy industries represented by campaign contributions to the sponsor may benefit from reduced immigration flows that could lower wage pressures or labor competition in lower-skill sectors.
Who pays / loses
Asylum seekers and migrants undergoing credible fear interviews bear the direct cost of the new fee. Low-income immigrants, Central American and Latin American nationals (the primary population seeking asylum at the southern border), and legal immigration advocates lose access to a previously free screening process. Nonprofit legal services organizations that assist asylum seekers without charge face increased barriers for their clients.
Funding & Lobbying Interests
The sponsor, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), received $157,890.55 in 'Other' category contributions, $22,414.17 from finance, $13,938.84 from construction, and $3,954.55 from energy in the 2024 cycle. The bill aligns with restrictionist immigration policy favored by business sectors seeking to reduce labor supply pressures, though the sponsor received no PAC contributions in 2024.
Political Impact
Affected Groups
Asylum seekers and credible fear interview applicants, estimated at 100,000+ annually based on recent DHS data; the majority are Central American nationals and other migrants from Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and parts of Asia. Border-state communities, particularly in Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona where credible fear interviews are processed. Legal service nonprofits serving immigrants without ability to pay.
Political Subtext
Proponents argue this fee creates accountability and cost-recovery for the asylum screening process, deterring frivolous claims and reducing government expenditure. Critics contend the fee operates as a poll tax on constitutional asylum rights, deterring legitimate persecution victims from seeking protection and violating the principle that asylum access should not depend on ability to pay. Non-partisan evidence shows that fee barriers to legal processes reduce legitimate claims alongside illegitimate ones, and that asylum seekers typically arrive with minimal assets, making fees financially prohibitive rather than a meaningful filter for claim quality.
Real-World Stakes
If enacted, asylum seekers would need to pay an unspecified amount before undergoing the credible fear interview required to initiate any asylum claim. This precedent mirrors state-level fee structures on legal processes (such as court filing fees) that have been documented to reduce access to justice regardless of claim merit. No federal asylum processing fee currently exists; introducing one would be the first such barrier at the interview stage. Documented outcomes from states with high legal fees show reduced access correlates with reduced legitimate claims, not just fraudulent ones—meaning persecution victims with limited funds would be screened out before DHS can assess their claims.
Sponsor
Vote Record
No recorded votes.
Campaign Finance — Primary Sponsor
Top contributing industries
Other$157,890.55
Finance$22,414.17
Construction$13,938.84
Energy$3,954.55
Healthcare$2,247.5
501(c)(4) disclosure: Contributions from 501(c)(4) "dark money" organizations are not required to be publicly disclosed and are not reflected in the figures above. Data sourced from FEC public disclosure filings.
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