Under US President Donald Trump’s leadership, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is ramping up its immigration crackdown. In yet another major warning for migrants present in the United States illegally, the federal department announced Thursday (US time) that the current administration was issuing civil fines worth more than $84 billion to individuals the MAGA leader continues to label “illegal aliens.”
Having long reiterated its “warning to self-deport,” the DHS again reminded illegal immigrants in the US to leave the country at the earliest. The Trump administration also declared that those who refuse to voluntarily leave the US after a final order of removal will face fines, including $998 per day.
DHS issues $84 billion in civil fines to illegal immigrants
In an official news release published on July 23, the DHS said that it had issued a total of more than 103,000 fines to illegal immigrants as part of its aggressive crackdown since the beginning of the Trump administration. These hundreds of thousands of fines have amounted to approximately $84 billion.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is working faster than ever before to remove criminal illegal aliens from our country,” said Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.
“Our message to illegal aliens is clear: LEAVE NOW. If you don’t you will face the consequences, including fines, arrest, and deportation. Illegal aliens have a choice: They can use the CBP Home app and receive a free flight home and $2,600, or be fined, arrested, and deported.”
As of January, the DHS claimed that 2.2 million people have self-deported from the US.
Some US politicians, including Senator Alex Padilla and Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, recently sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, urging them to “end the improper application of certain civil penalties in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to law-abiding immigrants.”
The senators wrote in their letter: “In assessing these fines, your Departments appear to have abandoned critical safeguards that have long prevented law-abiding immigrants from being improperly targeted with unreasonable penalties… last year President Trump issued a series of executive orders implementing his mass deportation campaign, through which he directed federal agencies to use these civil penalties to achieve ‘the garnishment of wages [] and the confiscation of savings and personal property, including homes and vehicles.”
“The Trump Administration began quietly changing federal policies to eliminate procedural safeguards that might have prevented the wrongful application of these penalties.”
According to the senators, immigrants impacted in the process include people with legal authorisation to be in the US, such as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, individuals seeking a green card, and survivors of domestic violence or trafficking with pending applications for immigration status.
“The INA authorizes civil monetary penalties for certain violations of immigration law. The penalties have rarely been applied—since the introduction of civil penalties in 1996, only President Trump has ever sought to impose civil penalties on noncitizens under these provisions,” read a statement on Padilla’s official website.
Trump admin reiterates warning to self-deport
Upon his formal return to office as the US president in January 2025, Donald Trump vowed the country would bear witness to the biggest mass deportation campaign ever. Earlier this year, as the DHS celebrated “One Year of Trump,” it announced what it described as an “even greater incentive for eligible” illegal immigrants to leave the US.
On January 21, 2026, the agency started offering a $2,600 “stipend” to migrants residing in the US unlawfully if they signed up to self-deport through the CBP Home app. Authorities also offered them a “free flight home.”
Having plastered the same message on its official social media handles and the DHS website, US authorities again pushed illegal immigrants to avail the offer. Simultaneously, they warned others failing to exit the US voluntarily that they would not only be arrested and deported, but would also lose their ability to return to the US in the future.
“Reminder to illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW or face fines of $998 per day for refusing to depart after receiving a final order of removal,” DHS said in a statement on Thursday.
Another infographic included in the official warning stated: “Our message to illegal aliens is clear: Leave now or face the consequences.”
The “consequences” in question include a fine of $998 per day on receipt of a deportation order; imprisonment under US Code, Title 8, Section 1325; and deportation from the country to never be allowed to return. As a result, the accumulated penalties per person can reach $1.8 million under a five-year statutory limit.
The fresh strongly-worded reminder from the Trump administration comes hot on the heels of new data released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) showing that more than 43,000 people were booked into immigration detention in June. These figures account for the highest monthly tally since Trump began his second term.
According to Syracuse University’s data project Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse’s (TRAC) immigration tracker, 46,436 out of 65,765—or 70.6%- of current detainees in ICE custody have no criminal convictions, as of July 11, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, immigration, or tax advice. Immigration laws and government policies are subject to frequent change without notice. While we strive to provide accurate updates, readers are strongly advised to verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or government portal of the respective country. Financial Express is not responsible for any decisions made based on this information. For personalised guidance, please consult a qualified immigration attorney or a certified professional advisor.