On October 30, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland temporarily halted the implementation of the Annual Asylum Fee (AAF) established by USCIS under the “USCIS Immigration Fees Required by HR-1 Reconciliation Bill.” The ruling in Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project v. USCIS suspends USCIS from collecting the AAF, which required asylum applicants with pending Form I-589 cases for a full fiscal year—or more than one year after filing—to pay an annual fee. Although USCIS disagrees with the decision, it will comply while litigation continues. As a result, the agency has paused all AAF notices, and applicants who received one may disregard it for now. USCIS will not issue refunds for already paid fees but advises applicants to keep their receipts and await further guidance pending the court’s final outcome.