During a special session held this morning, the Senate passed a $600 million spending bill (pdf) that will increase law enforcement presence at the United States’ southwestern border with Mexico and will finance additional aerial drones and construction of two operating bases. The Senate passed an identical bill (S. 3721) on August 5 before adjourning for recess, but for technical reasons the Senate needed to approve the version of the bill approved by the House of Representatives on August 10 before sending it to President Obama for signature.

The spending measure will be financed by increasing visa application fees on businesses with 50 or more employees in which more than 50% of the workforce holds an H-1B or L visa; specifically:

• the L visa application fee will increase by $2,250; and
• the H-1B visa application fee will increase by $2,000.

A major target of the increased fees are foreign-owned businesses whose workforces are largely comprised of foreign workers. Some contend these businesses are finessing regulations in a way that violates the spirit of U.S. immigration laws. Opponents of the bill include India’s high tech industry, which maintains a strong presence in the United States and benefits from both visa programs. As reported by the New York Times, industry representatives claim that the fee increases are being levied discriminatorily and violate international trade practices.