The Trump administration plans to impose daily fines of up to $998 on migrants who have ignored final deportation orders—reviving a long-standing but largely unenforced law from 1996.
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, those who fail to pay the fines could also face property seizures, signaling a no-nonsense stance on immigration violations.
The fines would apply retroactively for up to five years, potentially resulting in penalties exceeding $1 million for individuals who have defied court-ordered removals.
A senior Trump official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the administration is prepared to use every legal tool available to enforce immigration law and restore the rule of law at the border and beyond.
The fines stem from a provision in immigration law passed nearly three decades ago that was never seriously enforced—until Trump.
The policy was briefly implemented in 2018 and now appears poised for full-scale revival. The roughly 1.4 million illegal immigrants with final removal orders would be subject to these penalties.
“If they don’t, they will face the consequences,” said DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin. “This includes a fine of $998 per day for every day that the illegal alien overstayed their final deportation order.”
The administration is urging migrants to utilize the CBP Home mobile app—rebranded from CBP One—to voluntarily return to their home countries.
Failure to comply, they warn, will result in both daily fines and, potentially, government seizure and sale of property owned by the individual.
Tougher Policies After Biden Era Softness
President Joe Biden halted the fines and related policies upon taking office, in what critics saw as a soft-on-enforcement approach that exacerbated the border crisis.
Emails reviewed by Reuters reveal that Trump’s White House has pushed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to enforce the penalties and manage the logistics of asset seizures.
The Department of Justice may also be tapped to help execute the forfeiture process, adding legal muscle to the initiative.
Predictably, immigration activists and former Biden officials are decrying the new enforcement push.
Scott Shuchart, a top policy official under Biden, accused the Trump administration of “projecting fear in communities”—a common refrain from the Left when any enforcement measures are proposed.
Come here legally or do NOT come at all!