Originally published at: Morning Memo: A Special Reader Questions Edition
This is special extra edition of TPM’s Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. A Friday afternoon in the summer seemed like a good time to step back and field reader questions, but as I sat down to begin writing this news reports started coming of a three-country prisoner exchange involving the detainees the Trump administration…
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Thank you David !
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Tucked away in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is the requirement that all visitors to the U.S. must pay $250 just to enter the country starting October 1! For a family of 5 that’s a tax of $1250. I doubt this will help America’s crashing tourism business which is down 10% already since January.
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Well, this is going to hold up well. At this point Vegas may have to go back to actually servicing the “little people”.
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As for Congress, as long as both chambers are in GOP hands, I don’t see it targeting Miller for investigation.
If Chiselin’ Trump presented to Congress a bill that would award him a one billion dollar bonus in recognition of the great job he has been doing, I believe that it would pass with near unanimous GOP support.
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Ok, my question…
Why am I seeing two versions of the same “questions please” article addendum to Pam Bondi’s Morning Memo featuring the dead eyes of Stephen Miller?? Three Morning Memos is excessive. I realize it’s Friday but geeze…
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I am convinced this phone of mine is a secret republican machine out to hurt me. I used to have a “hate…hate less” thought of it but now it’s hate… hate more. It needs thicker padding. It’s protective sleeve is too hard. It’s bruising me when fumbled.
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No reason for tourism in America. Come and be assaulted by thugs claiming to be Immigration & Customs Enforcement. I’d suggest all those who desire to visit other countries than their own to not come to America. One could be arrested for legally and properly crossing our borders.
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Might I suggest calling this one the ‘Tea Time Memo’. A nice light afternoon meal and drink to soothe the full English breakfast that is the normal Morning Memo.
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So, basically for all questions the answer is that nothing can be done? To abandon all hope? No, not on a Friday afternoon. Actually, not ever.
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This only applies to “aliens” - that is, non-US citizens, right? It would be even more disgusting if Americans had to pay through their noses to return to this sadly degraded place.
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You missed the worst parts:
The new fee will add to the hurdles facing immigrants, according to the American Immigration Council, a nonpartisan think tank focused on immigration issues. It noted the new bill also includes additional new charges, including a new $100 fee for people applying for asylum.
People seeking asylum in the U.S., who previously could apply for that designation for free, could face total filing fees of more than $1,150 under the new law, according to the American Immigration Council.
This is a de-facto asylum-seeker ban.
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We have a friend who we haven’t heard from for a few weeks. She may be traveling, heading to Mexico as she normally does. Hispanic last name, stubborn, opinionated and not ready to cow tow. Solo traveler normally. Indomitable.
We are a bit concerned because we don’t know if she is off on one of those trips at the moment. Considering the behavior of various entities involving returning into country, I can see problems.
[Update: We finally got hold of her. She is not traveling at the moment. She has been heads down in her work and pretty much out of touch.]
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Not really an overstatement to say that the test of a free society is whether or not comedians can make fun of the country’s leader on TV without repurcussions.
“I was able to do it in a former Soviet Republic!”
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I’m looking forward to a newly unemployed Colbert’s 2028 presidential run. 
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Some countries practice reciprocity on these kinds of entrance fees.
So, some US citizens traveling abroad are going to be surprised as well, particularly if they want to travel to multiple countries that have such.
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Will this fee be imposed on all visitors or just those who need a visa to enter the U.S.? In orther words, which types of entry permission does this law apply to? Would it not apply to people entering the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program, which is available to nationals of specific foreign countries? To people entering under the ESTA system (Electronic System for Travel Authorization)?
Since forever, many foreigners entering the U.S., including for short visits, have faced hurdles not imagined by American visitors to many foreign countries.
A quick google search gave me this:
And this (which I found more helpful, though it may be dated):
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No WeekEnder ? Missed the notice I guess
Thanks for doing this. Not every question can be answered because of Trump administration hiding a lot of things. It’s still good to ask.
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