Updates for ASAP Members – November 2025

ASAP members: ASAP now has over 730,000 members! With the situation for immigrants becoming harder each month, we are proud to stand alongside you. Please read our November update below.

News about the annual asylum fee

• In early October, ASAP members filed a lawsuit challenging the unfair new annual asylum fee. Yesterday, a judge told the government it must create a better process for charging the annual fee! The judge put a temporary pause on the annual asylum fee, and credited ASAP members for showing how the process was harmful and confusing. 

• This pause is temporary, and if your asylum application has been pending for more than 1 year, you may be required to pay the fee soon. If the pause ends, we will update our website right away.

• In response to the lawsuit, the immigration courts also created a way to pay the fee for the first time and took other steps. Read up-to-date information about the annual asylum fee process in immigration court and at USCIS. 

• This lawsuit is not over. While we may not win everything we are fighting for in the lawsuit, we are proud of what ASAP members have already accomplished, and we will continue to fight as hard as we can.

Other news

• The government has stopped issuing new automatic work permit extensions for people applying to renew their work permits on or after October 30. But if you already received a 540-day extension on or before October 29, your extension is still valid! 

• See recent data about work permit processing. Delays are growing for renewals.

• Asylum seekers can apply for an initial work permit 150 days after applying for asylum. Watch this video about how to apply for a work permit online. 

• On October 28, USCIS made it harder to submit payments by check or money order. See updated information about how to make payments for new applications. 

• Asylum seekers can no longer apply for new commercial driver’s licenses for large vehicles. But immigrants are fighting this change with a lawsuit.

• Read more about how laws are changing for asylum seekers.

Resources for members

• Search for a lawyer and other services.

• Read answers to more than 100 common immigration questions.

• Watch videos about asylum, work permits, and more.

• Look up your ASAP membership card.

• Are you receiving these updates in the wrong language or to the wrong email or phone number? Fill out this form to update your contact information, to switch your language to English or Spanish, or to cancel your ASAP membership.

You can view previous updates for ASAP members here.