New H-1B Fee Deterrence Drops Registrations by 40%

Registrations for the 2027 H-1B visa program fell by 40 percent following the introduction of a $100,000 fee in September 2025. US Citizenship and Immigration Services reported the decline, which has stunned the tech industry despite a court blocking the fee for now. The data suggests the threat of the surcharge has deterred many employers from filing.

The shift in policy follows a series of changes since Donald Trump returned to office. In 2023 and 2024, more than 4.5 million migrant encounters were recorded at the southern border. By November 2025, the flow had shrunk to a trickle as the administration froze asylum applications and ended catch and release practices. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated on 16 October that strong enforcement works.

Construction at the border has also accelerated. Government figures show that 250 miles of barriers and detection technology have been completed since the new administration took over. Another 1,443 miles are under construction, supported by $46.5 billion in funding from the One Big Beautiful spending bill. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council noted that crossings have not changed significantly since construction began, attributing the drop to policy and messaging.

Inside the country, Immigration and Customs Enforcement reached a record of nearly 50,000 detentions in July. The Deportation Data Project found that a large share of those held had no criminal convictions. Detentions of immigrants with criminal histories hit an all-time low of 27 percent that month. ICE removed an average of 1,255 people per day by mid-July.

Refugee admissions have fallen sharply as well. The 2026 fiscal year cap was set at 7,500 and raised to 17,500 in May. State Department data shows 16,292 refugees have been admitted so far, with 16,287 of them being from South Africa. By comparison, about 60,000 refugees arrived in fiscal 2023 and 100,000 in 2024.

A new residency path opened in 2025 for wealthy applicants. The Trump Gold Card offers residency in exchange for a $1 million gift to the government plus a non-refundable $15,000 application fee. Uptake has been minimal, with only one applicant accepted by April.

A New York Times and Siena poll released on 21 October found that 50 percent of voters trust Democrats on immigration, compared with 46 percent for Republicans. A Politico and Public First poll in late September found that 31 percent of non-MAGA Republicans believe the campaign has become too aggressive.