The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes immigration provisions with immediate implications for employers. Below is a practical summary tailored for HR teams, in‑house counsel, and international workforce planners.
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Increased Focus on Enforcement and Compliance
- Greater Enforcement: $75 billion in supplemental funding for increased enforcement, detention, and deportation operations.
- I-9 Compliance: Increased focus on I-9 compliance and worksite inspections in conjunction with additional dedicated funding and staff.
- Limited Court Resources: Number of immigration judges capped and smaller $3 billion funding issued, indicating continued limited capacity to handle case backlog.
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Higher Visa Fees
- Visa Integrity Fee: Additional $250 fee to be paid upon issuance of a nonimmigrant visa, more than doubling the cost of B, H, L, O, P, and TN visas.
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New Fees for Certain Applications
- Work Authorization: $550 fee for asylees, TPS holders, and parolees.
- Asylum Fee: $100/year fee for asylum applicants.
- Fees for Temporary Protected Status: Fee increase to $500 for TPS applicants.
Action Steps for Employers
- Conduct an I‑9 audit and prepare for more aggressive enforcement and site visits.
- Review immigration-related expense budgets, especially for asylum and humanitarian subclass employees, to account for higher filing fees.
- Monitor visa-processing costs and ensure employees are aware of rate increases.
- Maintain compliance vigilance and educate and train employees to navigate ICE raids, FDNS site visits, and other ad hoc inspections.
BrownWinick will continue to monitor implementation timelines and subsequent rulemaking. If you'd like personalized guidance, whether for compliance audits, internal policy updates, employee communications, or other immigration issues, please reach out.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
