US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the authority to waive a new $100,000 H-1B visa fee in certain cases, offering potential relief to employers facing high recruitment costs. Mullin also expressed support for streamlining the return process for some seasonal foreign workers under the H-2B visa programme.
Speaking at his first Senate budget hearing as DHS secretary on Tuesday, Mullin said the department can consider fee waivers on a case-by-case basis. His remarks came after Senator Susan Collins of Maine raised concerns about a rural hospital that paid the fee to hire a surgeon from abroad after failing to find a qualified US candidate.
“We do have some authority and flexibility to be able to waive some of this on a case by case,” Mullin said.
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The comments suggest the administration may be open to targeted relief for employers relying on legal immigration channels, even as it maintains a strict stance on illegal immigration.
Mullin also indicated support for easing the process for returning H-2B workers, who fill temporary jobs in industries including hospitality, tourism, seafood processing, landscaping and construction. Responding to Collins, he said workers with a record of complying with visa requirements could benefit from a faster process.
“We do need some flexibility there,” Mullin said. “If they’ve been able to go through the process over and over again, they come in when they’re supposed to, they leave when they’re supposed to, and there’s no issues here, I’d be happy to do something like that and streamline the process.”
Business groups have long called for greater access to work visas to address labour shortages in key sectors. However, Mullin noted that broader changes to visa programmes may require congressional action because DHS has limited authority to change visa caps or create new exemptions on its own.
The hearing also focused on DHS immigration enforcement operations and oversight measures. Democratic senators questioned detention conditions and called for greater transparency, including wider use of body cameras by immigration officers.
Mullin said DHS does not have sufficient funding to equip all officers at Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection with body cameras.
“We don’t have the money for all the cameras,” Mullin said, adding that a previous funding proposal included money for the devices but was not enacted.
