US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has imposed over $6.1 billion in fines on immigrants who have reportedly defied deportation orders. Recent actions show the government is now escalating efforts to recover these fines, threatening legal action, involvement of debt collectors, and substantial tax liabilities for non-payment.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under President Trump’s administration, has issued fines totalling $6.1 billion to immigrants caught in the country’s overwhelmed immigration court system. The fines, which can be as high as $998 per day for overstaying visas, have been retroactively applied, often for periods of up to five years.
One such case involved a restaurant worker in Brooklyn, who was hit with a fine of $1.8 million for failing to depart the US as ordered in 1998. Legal experts suggest these fines are not meant to be collected but serve more as a tool for intimidation, leaving immigrants in fear of legal and financial ruin, as reported by WSJ.
The exit bonus
DHS has offered an “exit bonus” of $1,000 to those who voluntarily deport themselves. This offer is part of a strategy to meet the Trump administration’s ambitious deportation targets, despite the backlog in immigration cases that has stretched the court system to its limits.
For many immigrants, the fines represent an overwhelming financial burden. One mother of four from the Bronx, who has been in the U.S. since 2000, faces a $1.8 million penalty after missing an immigration hearing in 2013.
Despite her ongoing efforts to stay in the country through family-based immigration channels, she is now dealing with mounting interest and administrative fees that could push her debt well beyond the initial fine.
She is even considering self-deporting to escape the escalating costs.
The government’s approach has drawn criticism from both legal experts and immigrant advocates, who argue that the fines are punitive and unrealistic for the majority of those affected.
“You’re essentially giving someone a multi-million-dollar penalty who is making minimum wage,” said Edward Cuccia to WSJ, an attorney representing some of those impacted. “It’s more about fear and intimidation than actual collection.”
The growing burden of administrative fees
Penalties continue to increase the longer the fines remain unpaid. Interest rates of 5% annually add roughly $250 a day to the total debt, with a 6% rate kicking in after 91 days. Administrative fees add an additional 32% to the fine, further exacerbating the financial pressure on those affected.
In the case of the Bronx mother, these added costs could push her fine to over $2 million, a sum far beyond her ability to pay. Despite her long-standing ties to the US, including adult children who are US citizens, her legal team is exploring options to vacate her removal order and secure a green card to avoid the financial and emotional toll of self-deportation.
For the thousands of immigrants currently facing these penalties, the future remains uncertain. While some may opt for voluntary departure to avoid the mounting debt, others remain hopeful that legal avenues can offer them a path to stay.