This month, the Obama administration announced that the already astronomical fees for immigration applications, which skyrocketed in 2007, will likely be raised again. Under USCIS’s proposal, currently up for public review and comment, application fees will increase an average 10% across the board. Our government finances 90% of the United States Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) office through these application fees, and there are currently not enough applications to cover costs.
 
Given the contributions of immigrants to the United States’ culture, economy and way of life, immigration processing is a public service that contributes to a public good. By hiking up fees and relying upon them for 90% of the operation costs of USCIS, we are putting a price tag on the inherent value of being American; worse, we are keeping hardworking people from updating their status in the United States according to their rights prescribed by law.