Trump Administration Levies $84 Billion in Immigrant Civil Fines
The Department of Homeland Security issued $84 billion in fines to 103,000 undocumented immigrants to encourage self-deportation under a Donald Trump administration mandate.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued 103,000 civil fines totaling approximately $84 billion to undocumented immigrants since January 2025. This policy, part of President Donald Trump's deportation mandate, imposes penalties of $998 per day on individuals who fail to comply with final removal orders. Some individual penalties have reached $1.8 million over five-year periods.
To recover the funds, the government has utilized debt-collection agencies, garnished wages, seized tax refunds, and filed lawsuits. As of July 2026, the agency has collected about $1.2 billion. The administration streamlined the process by moving the appeal process from the Department of Justice to the Department of Homeland Security and removing requirements for personal or certified mail service.
To encourage "self-deportation," U.S. Customs and Border Protection promoted the CBP Home app, which offers non-criminal immigrants fine forgiveness, subsidized flights, and the ability to preserve earned wages if they leave voluntarily. The administration reports that 2.2 million people self-deported during the first year of the program.
Democratic lawmakers and immigrant advocates have challenged the program's legality. Senator Alex Padilla and other critics argue the administration is using excessive penalties to intimidate immigrants, many of whom have maintained lawful presence for decades. Legal challenges have been filed in federal courts, including the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, alleging the fines are unconstitutional and coercive.
