On December 12, a federal judge issued a nationwide injunction on the rule that ended fee exemptions for many poor immigrants seeking citizenship. The previous rule allowed a fee exemption for anyone on government aid or who could show financial hardship (such as medical expenses or unemployment). The blocked rule eliminated fee waivers for government benefits and allowed waivers only to those who could show hardship or who were making no more than 150% of the federal poverty guidelines, meaning that many poor immigrants would have to pay the $725 fee. The main reason for the injunction was that the Trump administration disregarded the law when it did not seek or consider public comment on the new rule.
– Weekly Immigration Briefing by Olivia Hester, Immigration Law Analyst at Docketwise
Posted in: Immigration
posted on: December 26, 2019