US Republicans demand $1,000 fee for asylum applications!

US Republicans demand $1,000 fee for asylum applications!

The discussion about immigration policy in the USA is gaining momentum with a new proposal from the Republicans. A budget proposal seeks a fee of at least $1,000 per asylum seeker to regulate immigration and enhance national security. That measure was supported by Republican lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee, who are also promoting the plan to adjust fees in the event of rising inflation. There is also an $8,500 fee for removing a migrant child from federal custody, while unaccompanied children are placed in foster care under federal supervision.

The new fees will affect not only applications for asylum, but also work permits and green card applications. The measures are part of a broader strategy aimed at controlling immigration. This proposal is supported by the White House, which recently released numerous profiles of alleged criminal migrants linked to serious crimes, including child abuse, murder and rape, to underscore the urgency of the issue.

Asylum seeker benefits in Germany

Parallel to the developments in the USA, it is clear that the issue of asylum and migration is also being intensively discussed in Europe. In Germany, gross expenditure on asylum seeker services in 2023 was around 6.3 billion euros. The majority of this spending was on basic services, which cover housing, food, heating, clothing and consumer goods. In total, special needs services – for example in the event of illness or pregnancy – amounted to around 1.24 billion euros. Net expenditure was around 5.98 billion euros, slightly below gross expenditure.

The federal government is planning around 21.3 billion euros for asylum-related costs for 2024. Refugee-related expenditure in 2022 also included measures to combat the causes of flight and integration services. In the current situation, around 486,100 people in Germany will receive standard benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act at the end of 2022.

Migration trends in Germany

A comprehensive migration report also shows interesting trends: In 2023, a total of 1,932,509 people moved to Germany, while 1,269,545 moved out of the country. Despite this immigration, net migration fell by more than half to +662,964 people compared to the previous year. The share of foreign nationals in immigration fell from 93.1 percent in 2022 to 90.1 percent in 2023. Particularly noteworthy is the decline in immigration from Ukraine, which fell from 1,097,882 in 2022 to 276,047 immigrants.

Overall, the debate about immigration and asylum remains a central social issue not only in the USA, but also in Germany. The payment of asylum seeker benefits and the challenges of integration continue to be discussed and are the focus of political decisions.