In September, nearly 20 more immigration judges were dismissed, adding to the 80 judges already removed earlier this year. Judges from New York, Florida, California, and other states have been affected.
The official explanation is “inefficient case management,” but this move only worsens an already overwhelming backlog of almost 4 million cases. Some hearings are now being delayed as far out as 2029.
To fill the gap, the government has turned to temporary judges, many with little or no immigration law experience, and has even brought in 600 military attorneys to assist. Critics warn this undermines the efficiency of the system and limits immigrants’ access to fair proceedings.
Starting September 2025, the U.S. introduced the Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) — a mandatory $100 yearly payment for all asylum seekers who have filed Form I-589.
This requirement applies to everyone:
Those awaiting a decision through USCIS (affirmative asylum).
Those whose cases are being heard in Immigration Court (defensive asylum).
There are no exemptions or waivers.
Roughly one year after filing Form I-589, you will receive a notice from USCIS.
Payment must be made online only via your USCIS account: https://myaccount.uscis.gov
Accepted methods: U.S. credit or debit cards, or a U.S. bank account.
Checks and money orders are not accepted.
Always save your PDF receipt for your records.
Payments are made through the EOIR Payment Portal: https://epay.eoir.justice.gov
Enter your name and A-number, then select:
Court – I-589, Application for Asylum (Initial Fee).
Important: This category is used for both first-time filings and for the new annual payments (effective 2025), even in long-pending cases.
Confirm the $100 fee, complete the payment, and save your receipt with the Tracking ID.
The asylum fee must be paid every year beginning in 2025, until your case is fully resolved.
Keep a copy of the receipt in your case file (ideally printed and attached to your documents).
Failure to pay may result in your asylum application being treated as abandoned and left unprocessed.
Behar International Counsel is a leading immigration law firm based in San Diego and Los Angeles, providing expert US immigration services to clients throughout the US and worldwide
