What to Know Wednesday

The Real Impact of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” on U.S. Immigration

On June 30, 2025, the Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—a 1,000-page spending package—by a 51–50 vote, with the Vice President casting the tie-breaking ballot. Framed as a border security measure, this bill represents one of the most aggressive expansions of immigration enforcement in modern U.S. history. It authorizes $150 billion in funding to expand border walls, surveillance, detention, deportation operations, and employer enforcement mechanisms.

Despite its size and cost, the bill includes no investment in immigration court access, visa processing, or humanitarian relief, and instead imposes steep new financial barriers on those seeking lawful status.
Legal experts and civil rights organizations are raising alarms. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) warns that the bill undermines the rule of law and abandons the principles of fairness and due process that have historically underpinned U.S. immigration policy.


What Is in the Bill

The legislation contains a wide array of punitive provisions:

• $47 billion for additional border wall construction
• $45 billion for expanding family and adult immigration detention facilities
• $7 billion for hiring and outfitting more CBP agents
• $5 billion for new CBP checkpoints and vehicle fleets
• Mandatory, nationwide E-Verify enrollment for all U.S. employers within 12 months
• Biometric surveillance and real-time immigration status tracking
• Significantly increased application fees for asylum, TPS, and lawful permanent residence
• Expansion of expedited removal, now formally applying to anyone who cannot prove two years of continuous U.S. presence

In practice, however, expedited removal has already resulted in the wrongful detention and deportation of U.S. citizens and lawful residents, as documented in numerous federal reports and court filings. The expansion of this authority without safeguards raises profound legal and ethical concerns.


Implications for Employers

U.S. employers—particularly in agriculture, hospitality, and healthcare—will face sweeping new compliance mandates:

• Mandatory participation in E-Verify with daily status monitoring
• Reverification of I-9 documentation upon receipt of any DHS alert
• Increased penalties for employment of unauthorized workers, even if inadvertent
• Broader liability for recordkeeping errors, delayed reverifications, or misapplication of alerts

Failure to comply could result in significant fines, loss of business licenses, and potential employment discrimination claims. Employers are advised to conduct internal audits, train HR staff, and consult legal counsel to mitigate risks.


Consequences for Immigrants and Mixed-Status Families

The bill’s impact on immigrants—especially those pursuing lawful pathways—will be far-reaching:

• Steep new fees will create cost barriers to asylum, TPS, and adjustment of status
• No provisions for backlog reduction, leaving many in limbo
• Expanded use of detention, including for families and long-term residents
• Heightened surveillance, which may chill lawful activity and discourage status renewal
• Accelerated removal procedures, often without meaningful access to legal counsel

Legal professionals warn that the law may result in the deportation of individuals with strong legal claims, long-term community ties, or pending applications—in violation of due process standards.


A Warning From the Legal Community

AILA has issued a sharp statement condemning the legislation’s scope and implications:
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“Once again, the rule of law is the loser in today’s vote. Donald Trump is openly fantasizing about deporting American citizens he does not like. And now Congress is handing him the tools to do it by allocating billions for a mass deportation force with virtually no guardrails. AILA urges the public, legal community, and policymakers to resist this dangerous shift toward an enforcement-only system that abandons our nation’s values of fairness, due process, and humane treatment of immigrants,” said AILA Executive Director Benjamin Johnson.

This bill—passed with no bipartisan consensus—shifts U.S. immigration policy toward mass surveillance and exclusion, while offering no investment in solutions.


What You Can Do

This legislation will affect a wide range of individuals, employers, and communities. Immediate action is critical:
✔️ Employers: Conduct I-9 and E-Verify audits now. Prepare to implement real-time compliance systems.
✔️ Individuals: Check expiration dates on EADs, I-94s, and other documents. Begin renewal or adjustment early.
✔️ Asylum seekers and TPS recipients: Prepare for higher fees and stricter standards. Seek legal help immediately.
✔️ Anyone facing status concerns: Do not assume you are out of options. Consult an immigration attorney before taking any action.


Final Note

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” is not simply a spending measure—it is a fundamental redefinition of how the United States handles immigration. It shifts power decisively toward enforcement without building legal capacity, humanitarian protections, or economic resilience.

📩 For legal guidance on how this bill may affect your status, your business, or your family, contact the Law Office of Julia L. Stommes at [email protected].

If you have questions about your visa status or if you are an employer exploring immigration options, we are here to help.  At the Law Office of Julia L. Stommes, we are committed to helping individuals and businesses navigate complex legal landscapes.
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The information provided in this blog is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.  To schedule a Consultation to discuss your legal immigration options, please email us at [email protected].