The Trump administration is preparing to impose a whooping $998 daily fines on migrants who remain in the U.S. after receiving deportation orders, according to internal documents obtained by Reuters.
The aggressive enforcement measure, authorized under a 1996 immigration law, could result in cumulative penalties exceeding $1 million per individual when applied retroactively over five years.
A senior Trump official confirmed the administration is also developing protocols to seize property from those unable to pay the escalating fines, potentially affecting mixed-status households with American citizen family members.
How 1996 Law Revival is Creating Legal and Logistical Challenges
This dramatic escalation of immigration enforcement revives Section 274D of the Immigration and Nationality Act, first utilized in 2018 against nine sanctuary-seeking migrants. While the Biden administration suspended such penalties in 2021, Trump officials are now pressing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to implement the fines at scale.
Internal emails reveal bureaucratic tensions, with a CBP memo warning the agency lacks infrastructure to process thousands of daily fines and would require tripling its paralegal staff. The Department of Homeland Security has directed migrants to use the rebranded “CBP Home” app to arrange self-deportation, warning of severe consequences for noncompliance.
Asset Forfeiture Threatens Mixed-Status Families
The proposed property seizure mechanism could have far-reaching consequences for the estimated 10 million undocumented immigrants living in households with U.S. citizens or permanent residents, according to FWD.us research. Migration Policy Institute data shows 26% of these families live below the poverty line, making the $998 daily fines potentially ruinous.
The plan has drawn sharp criticism from immigration advocates like former ICE official Scott Shuchart, who argues the primary intent is fear-mongering rather than lawful enforcement. Legal challenges are expected, though the mere threat of massive fines and asset seizures may compel voluntary departures.
Emails have revealed direct involvement from senior Trump advisor Stephen Miller and the National Security Council in pressuring CBP to implement the fines. However, agency officials have raised operational concerns, suggesting ICE would be better equipped to handle the complex enforcement actions.
With no confirmed start date, the policy’s implementation remains uncertain, but its announcement alone has already begun reshaping migrant decision-making nationwide.
