Written by ASAP’s expert immigration lawyers · Updated
“While we have followed the law and done everything possible to follow the asylum process, this new fee has created confusion and put us at risk.” - ASAP Member
Case Background:
On October 3, 2025, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), asked a federal judge to stop U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) from dismissing or denying asylum applications based on a new requirement – an annual asylum fee. The lawsuit, ASAP v. USCIS, was filed alongside Gibson Dunn in the District of Maryland.
In July 2025, a new law created a $100 annual asylum fee. In late September 2025, thousands of ASAP members began to express concern and confusion about the new fee. Much of their confusion arose from the fact that the government chose to apply the law retroactively – and without even making it possible for many asylum seekers to pay. Many members worried that their asylum cases could be thrown out due to the government’s chaotic process.
ASAP filed this lawsuit in response to ASAP members’ concerns.
Lawsuit Documents and Timeline:
October 3, 2025: ASAP members filed a lawsuit. See Complaint.
The Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) aims to provide factual information about current immigration laws. This information is not legal advice.
All legal content is written and legally reviewed by ASAP’s team of expert immigration lawyers. ASAP’s expert lawyers have decades of experience in immigration law and litigation. Collectively, they have won hundreds of cases. Our lawyers are admitted to the Bar in several U.S. states, hold law degrees from universities including Harvard, Yale, and UCLA, and have won multiple awards for their legal work.