Arizona tour company sues over Trump’s nonresident fee at national parks

An Arizona-based tour company is suing the Trump administration over its move to impose higher national park visitor fees on people who don’t live in the U.S.

In a new filing Monday , Across Arizona Tours said it has lost business because of the higher costs for nonresidents imposed by the administration earlier this year.

The company’s Carole Stapleton spoke with 80-90 potential customers who did not book a tour with the firm, often citing the higher fees, according to the lawsuit.

The case, in which the company is represented by the libertarian-leaning Pacific Legal Foundation, argues that the policy goes beyond the administration’s statutory authority.

“Federal agencies cannot make up fees as they please,” Jacob Haas, an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a written statement. “Only Congress can authorize federal fees. And Congress has never authorized higher fees for nonresidents — not least because such a policy would discourage international tourism and hurt companies like Across Arizona Tours.”

The Trump administration has imposed fees of an additional $100 per person at some of the nation’s most-visited national parks for those who don’t live in the U.S. Nonresidents who buy annual passes also have to pay more — $250, compared with $80 for residents — under the policy .

An Interior Department spokesperson argued that U.S. residents already subsidize national parks by paying taxes.

“Thanks to President Donald J. Trump, U.S. residents, who already fund the National Park System through federal taxes, are continuing to enjoy affordable pricing, while foreign tourists are paying higher entrance fees to help maintain our parks and improve visitor experiences,” said the spokesperson, who did not provide their name and replied from a generic press email account.

“This administration will continue to put American families first — making parks more accessible, more affordable and more efficient for future generations,” the spokesperson added.