Comment Submitted by Anonymous

To Who It May Concern I want to thank you for letting the comment on this proposed rule. I read about the plan to raise the Form I-246 fee from $155 to $755. I get why the Department of Homeland Security wants to make this change. The fee has been the same since 1989. It makes sense that the cost of processing applications has gone up over the years. The fee is meant to help pay for reviewing applications so taxpayers do not have to pay as much. As someone whose parents immigrants to the United States Of America this issue is very important to me and my family. I have seen how hard my parents worked to build a life in the United States. They wanted to give our family opportunities. I also know that the immigration process can be confusing and stressful. It can also be very expensive. Because of what my family went I wanted to learn more about this proposal. I wanted to think about how it could affect people. I think the government should be able to cover the costs of processing applications.. I also think the process should be fair and affordable for families who are already struggling. I understand why the Department of Homeland Security wants to increase the fee.. I think raising the fee from $155 to $755 is a really big jump. If the fee goes up by $600 all at once it could be hard for many people to afford the application. Some people who need a stay of removal may already be dealing with problems. This higher fee could stop them from applying. The Department of Homeland Security says that fee waivers will still be available. This is a thing..A lot of people don't know fee waivers exist or how to use them. When I was researching this topic, I read a few articles that helped me understand both sides of the issue. One article explained that the cost of immigration services can be a major barrier for many immigrants. Some people cannot afford the application fees, which can make it harder for them to get the help or legal status they need. Another article talked about how immigration policies can affect families and communities in different ways. A third article said that immigration enforcement is a process. It said that government policies should balance cost, fairness and access to services. These articles helped me understand that the Department of Homeland Security needs money to process applications.. It is also important to make sure people are not prevented from using the legal process because of high fees. I also read comments from people before writing my own. Most of the comments I read supported the fee increase. Some people even wanted the fee to be higher than $755. I noticed that some comments had the exact same wording. So they looked like they were copied and pasted. I also read one comment that mostly shared opinions instead of talking about the actual rule. Reading these comments helped me see points of view.. I think public comments are stronger when they use facts and explain their reasons clearly. Of raising the fee by $600 all at once I think the Department of Homeland Security should slowly increase it over a few years. This would still help the agency recover more of its costs.. It would not be as difficult for people who need to apply. The Department of Homeland Security should also make the fee waiver process simple and easy to understand. This way people who cannot afford the fee still have a chance to apply. Overall I understand why the Department of Homeland Security wants to increase the Form I-246 fee.. I think the proposed increase is too much at one time. A smaller increase or a gradual increase would be an option. It would help the Department of Homeland Security pay for the cost of processing applications. At the time it would make sure people are not kept out of the process just because they cannot afford such a large fee. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my comment, about the Form I-246 fee.