Trump Administration Looks to Collect Over $6 Billion in Fines on Immigrants With Deportation Orders: Report

The Trump administration is seeking to collect more than $6 billion in fines from immigrants who have ignored deportation orders, according to a new sprawling report from The Wall Street Journal.

Since President Trump's return to office, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued 21,500 fines totaling $6.1 billion, part of a broader strategy to encourage self-deportations and advance what Trump has called the largest deportation campaign in U.S. history.

The fines can reach as much as $998 per day and are often applied retroactively. In some cases, penalties have amounted to $1.8 million for individuals who overstayed removal orders for years, as the report reveals.

DHS has warned recipients that failure to pay could result in lawsuits, garnished tax refunds, debt collection, and additional penalties. The agency has also said unpaid fines may be reported to the Internal Revenue Service as taxable income, though tax experts expressed skepticism about that approach.

Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin described the measures to the Wall Street Journal as targeting "illegal aliens who ignore removal orders and do not honor voluntary departure agreements." Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that his department's Debt Collection Service is working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "to secure payment for all civil fines and penalties owed by illegal aliens to the U.S. government."

For those who leave voluntarily, DHS has offered to waive the fines and provide a $1,000 "exit bonus." A senior DHS official told WSJ:

"It's an easy choice: Leave voluntarily and receive [a] $1,000 check, or stay and wait till you are fined $1,000 [a] day, arrested and deported without a possibility to return legally"

Immigration lawyers argue the policy is less about revenue and more about pressuring people to leave. "Clearly they're not expecting to collect the money, they're just scaring people," said attorney Edward Cuccia, who represents several clients fined more than $1 million each, while LaToya McBean Pompy, another immigration attorney, called it "psychological warfare."

The measures add to broader financial strains on immigrant families under Trump's immigration agenda. As El País reported earlier this month, detentions and deportations have left many households in financial crisis, with breadwinners removed and families unable to maintain cars, homes, or credit. Even those not detained are making contingency plans, including assigning power of attorney and withdrawing savings, to prepare for the possibility of detention.

Legal advocates note that while ICE does not seize property directly, there is no federal mechanism to protect immigrants' assets during detention or deportation. Community organizations have responded by promoting "family preparedness plans" to help families safeguard finances before enforcement actions occur.