The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued more than 100,000 civil fines totaling approximately $84 billion to undocumented immigrants during the Trump administration, with over $1 billion collected in payments, according to figures obtained by Fox News Digital. Since President Donald Trump's return to office approximately 18 months ago, DHS has levied 103,000 fines.
The fines, amounting to $998 per day, were applied to individuals subject to final removal orders who did not leave the U.S. voluntarily. DHS stated that immigrants must pay these fines before deportation and that the agency could seize assets from non-compliant individuals. This policy was part of a series of measures by the Trump administration aimed at encouraging undocumented immigrants to depart the country.
DHS has maintained that the fine program is more cost-effective than traditional deportation proceedings and is intended to incentivize voluntary departures. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) distributed a flyer detailing the "benefits" and "consequences" associated with self-deportation via the CBP Home app. The flyer promoted self-deportation as a safe option, allowing individuals to "Leave on your own terms by picking your departure flight."
According to DHS, undocumented immigrants who self-deport without criminal records may retain money earned in the U.S. and remain eligible for future legal immigration pathways. Some individuals unable to afford travel home may qualify for subsidized flights. Conversely, the flyer warned that those who do not self-deport face apprehension by DHS without the opportunity to arrange their affairs beforehand.
In May, Fox News Digital reported that over 3 million undocumented immigrants had left the U.S. in Trump's first year back in office, with an estimated 2.2 million self-deporting. During the same period, DHS reported deporting nearly 900,000 individuals and arresting over 900,000 others. The department cited these figures as evidence that the administration's immigration enforcement policies have altered migration patterns following a significant increase in border crossings during the Biden administration.