Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio is introducing legislation Thursday that would require immigrants with temporary visas to pay thousands of dollars before entering the U.S. – as part of the effort to crack down on visa overstays.
The Timely Departure Act would require some foreign nationals seeking admission to the U.S. on a temporary visa to pay between $5,000 and $15,000 in a bond or cash payment. That money would then be returned to them when they leave the U.S. in accordance with the terms of the visa, or transfer to a green card.
If they overstayed, however, that money would be retained by the Department of Homeland Security, and it would be diverted into an account – the ‘Immigration Detention and Enforcement Account” – to fund the detention and removal of those in the country illegally.