By Felicia J. Persaud
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Sat. Nov. 1,2025: If you’ve got deep pockets, the Donald Trump administration has some good news for you. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, (DHS) has just published a new rule in the Federal Register that would make it cheaper for the rich to buy their way to a green card in America – through the EB-5 immigrant investor visa program.
The rule, published in the Federal Register on October 23, 2025, quietly lowers nearly every major EB-5 application fee – even as the administration continues to push mass deportations, detentions, and immigration crackdowns on everyone else.
The Fine Print
The EB-5 visa – often dubbed the “million-dollar green card” – allows foreign nationals to obtain permanent U.S. residency by investing in American businesses that create jobs.
The Trump DHS now wants to reduce the filing fees investors and regional centers pay to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, (USCIS), claiming the cuts will “align fees with costs” and “enhance integrity.” But make no mistake: this is a major price drop for the world’s wealthiest want to be US migrants.
Here’s how the numbers stack up:
Form / Application TypeCurrent FeeProposed Fee% ChangeI-526 / I-526E – Immigrant Petition by Investor$11,160$9,625↓ 14%I-829 – Remove Conditions on Residency$9,525$7,860↓ 17%I-956 – Regional Center Designation$47,695$28,895↓ 39%I-956 Amendment$47,695$18,480↓ 61%I-956F – Approval of Investment Project$47,695$29,935↓ 37%I-956G – Annual Statement$4,470$2,740↓ 39%
That’s right – up to 61 percent off. DHS says the changes are meant to “support integrity,” but the reality is simple: it’s now cheaper than ever to buy your way into America.
Still A Millionaire’s Club
The rule doesn’t change the actual investment thresholds, however. Under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, you still need to invest:
- US $1,050,000 in a standard U.S. business, or
- US $800,000 in a Targeted Employment Area (a rural or high-unemployment zone).
So, while the price of admission stays the same, the paperwork cost to enter the program drops sharply – a sweet deal for investors who can afford to play in the EB-5 arena.
The New “Integrity” Fees
However, while cutting up-front fees, DHS is also introducing these new charges:
- A $95 “technology fee” on every petition.
- A new Integrity Fund, financed by annual payments of $10,000 or $20,000 from each regional center to fund audits and site visits.
- Penalties for late payments, including up to 20% surcharges or termination after 90 days.
So yes, it’s cheaper to file – Uncle Sam under Trump will still be collecting in other ways.
The Bigger Picture
Created in 1990 to attract foreign investment and create U.S. jobs, the EB-5 program has long been criticized as a “cash-for-visa” scheme that benefits the wealthy while millions of others wait decades in backlogged family and employment visa lines.
Now, under Trump’s DHS, the contrast couldn’t be starker:
- Cheaper access for millionaires.
- Harsher enforcement for asylum seekers, farm workers, and Dreamers.
This isn’t immigration reform – it’s immigration for sale.
The Bottom Line
If you’re rich, congratulations: in Donald Trump’s America, your green card just got a discount.
For everyone else the door remains locked, the fees keep rising, and the message couldn’t be clearer:
Welcome to the United States – where cash, not compassion, determines your path to residency and citizenship.
Felicia J. Persaud is the founder and publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, the only daily newswire and digital platform dedicated exclusively to Caribbean Diaspora and Black immigrant news across the Americas.
