DHS Proposes Billions in New Fees for Student Visas and Stricter Customs Declarations

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed two significant rules with estimated costs well into the billions of dollars. One proposal would institute new fees for F-1 nonimmigrant students engaging in Optional Practical Training (OPT), potentially leading to $29 billion in opportunity costs over a decade. The second proposal seeks to amend U.S. Customs and Border Protection regulations, modifying filing requirements for informal entries of goods and establishing a new electronic entry type, which could result in $7.7 billion in new costs and nearly 24 million additional paperwork hours annually.