The United States government is facing criticism over claims it has collected more than $1 billion in immigration fees for services that have not been delivered, affecting applicants both within and outside the country.
The allegation was raised by policy analyst David J. Bier during testimony before the Senate, where he argued that current immigration measures have halted the processing of applications while authorities continue to receive payments.
“This is the largest fraud in the history of the US immigration system,” Bier said. “It is likely the first $1 billion fraud a theft of processing fees for services never rendered.”
The situation follows a set of policies introduced under president Donald Trump and implemented by immigration agencies. One policy restricts entry and limits visa approvals for citizens of 40 countries, including Nigeria, Iran and Haiti.
According to the report, applicants are not informed of their ineligibility before interviews, meaning many proceed with applications and pay required fees.
A separate measure extends restrictions to immigrants already living in the United States. It places a freeze on applications for benefits such as work permits and permanent residency.
The policy applies to individuals from the affected countries regardless of how long they have lived in the US and has no stated end date.
In addition, the State Department has suspended immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries. The decision was linked to concerns that some migrants may rely on public welfare. Critics argue that US law requires individual assessment of applicants and does not support broad restrictions based on nationality.
Another policy affects the diversity visa lottery. While applicants are still allowed to submit forms and attend interviews, visas are not being issued.
Together, the measures affect nationals from 92 countries. These countries account for a large share of legal immigration to the United States. Estimates indicate that about two million applications have been blocked. More than 320,000 applicants abroad and over 500,000 potential residents within the US are affected.
Immigration applications involve multiple fees. Sponsoring a spouse, for example, can require payments totalling about $2,675 for petitions, residency processing and work authorisation.
Lawmakers have expressed concern. Republican Senator John Kennedy said he was “shocked” that the situation was happening.
Bier urged Congress to act, saying, “If someone cannot establish their eligibility, they can be denied under the law, but there is no reason to steal people’s fees and fail to provide the service the law entitles them to.”
He added that Congress should require authorities to resume processing applications and ensure fair adjudication without regard to nationality.
