Trump administration proposes $998 daily fines on migrants defying deportation orders

By lauraharris // 2025-04-14

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The Trump administration plans to impose daily fines of up to $998, potentially totaling over $1 million, on migrants with deportation orders who refuse to leave, retroactive for up to five years. Property seizures may also be enforced.
The plan leverages a 1996 immigration law allowing penalties for migrants who obstruct their deportation, including failing to depart or not cooperating with removal procedures.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly warned migrants to self-deport via the CBP One app or face severe consequences, including fines and forced removals.
The Biden administration halted these fines in 2021, declaring them ineffective and canceled existing debts.
Trump's second-term agenda includes stricter border policies, such as reviving deportation fines, completing the border wall and overturning Biden-era immigration reforms to enforce "law and order."

The Trump administration is planning to impose steep fines of up to $998 per day, as well as property seizures if they refuse to pay, on migrants under deportation orders who fail to leave the United States. The move, which is rooted in a 1996 immigration law, allows fines for individuals who willfully delay or obstruct their own deportation. Under the proposed crackdown, fines will accrue daily and could apply retroactively for up to five years, potentially totaling over $1 million for some cases. Officials also plan to seize assets from those who refuse to comply. Moreover, the law stated that fines could be levied against any migrant who "conspires to or takes any action designed to prevent or hamper the alien's departure pursuant to the order, shall pay a civil penalty of not more than $500 to the Commissioner for each day the alien is in violation of this section." Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin warned illegal immigrants about this. "If they don't, they will face the consequences. This includes a fine of $998 per day for every day that the illegal alien overstayed their final deportation order," she said. The DHS also posted the same thought on Instagram on March 31, urging illegal migrants to self-deport through the CBP One app. "The CBP Home app gives illegal aliens the option to LEAVE NOW and self-deport," the post read. "If they don't, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return." (Related: POLL: Majority of Americans support the mass deportation of illegal immigrants.) However, the exact start date for the fines remains unclear.

Trump intensifies migrant policies on his second term

Trump already invoked the 1996 law during his first term in office, but the following administration under former President Joe Biden stopped the fines and rescinded the law when he took office in 2021. Under the leadership of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ICE has shifted toward a more targeted enforcement approach, emphasizing discretion rather than broad punitive measures. In April 2021, DHS announced the cancellation of civil financial penalties for noncitizens who failed to depart the U.S., as these fines were deemed ineffective after a review of enforcement data. Additionally, due to sequestration-related budget constraints, ICE recently released hundreds of detained immigrants. But Trump issued orders to reintroduce and intensify migrant policies on his second term, including reinstating penalties and expanding border security measures. Trump aims to revive measures like the 1996 law and complete the border wall, vowing to restore "law and order" at the southern border. Follow InvasionUSA.news for more stories about illegal immigration in America. Watch new border czar Tom Homan telling Veronika Kyrylenko of the New American magazine that the U.S. border is broken by design.

This video is from The New American channel on Brighteon.com.

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Trump intensifies migrant policies on his second term

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