search
Niskanen Center
Trends
- 1Eight minor immigration fixes that sidestep the numbers fight●Improving immigration at the margins: 8 minor fixes that bypass the numbers debate
The Niskanen Center has set out eight modest administrative and regulatory changes to US immigration policy that could improve the system without reopening the fight over legal immigration levels. The proposals focus on marginal fixes—streamlining procedures and reducing friction—precisely because broad reforms on admission numbers remain politically blocked, and the group argues small changes can still deliver real gains.
- 2Proposed $103,000 fee for H-1B petitions draws public comment▼Public comment: Proposed $103k fee for H-1B petitions 2026
A proposed rule would charge employers a $103,000 fee for H-1B visa petitions beginning in 2026. The measure has opened a public comment period, with groups such as the Niskanen Center weighing in. Critics argue the fee would effectively price out most skilled-worker sponsorship and reshape high-skilled immigration, while supporters frame it as a way to prioritize higher-paid roles.