The Trump administration is preparing to revive and significantly expand a controversial immigration enforcement policy that would impose steep daily fines on migrants who refuse to comply with final deportation orders, according to internal government documents obtained by Reuters.
Under the proposal, migrants who remain in the United States despite final removal orders could face daily penalties of $998, with potential cumulative fines exceeding $1 million per individual if applied retroactively over a five-year period. The initiative is based on a rarely enforced provision of a 1996 immigration law and was previously implemented during President Trump’s first term.
An estimated 1.4 million migrants currently residing in the U.S. are under final deportation orders. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued warnings about the serious consequences of non-compliance, including asset seizures, and is encouraging affected individuals to use a newly rebranded mobile application—CBP Home (formerly CBP One)—to facilitate voluntary departure.
Internal communications reviewed by Reuters reveal that the White House has instructed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to take the lead in managing the fines, property seizures, and enforcement logistics. However, CBP officials have expressed concerns regarding resource constraints and staffing requirements, recommending that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assume primary responsibility for the program. A CBP memo estimated the need for approximately 1,000 additional paralegal specialists to support the effort.
The Department of Justice’s civil asset forfeiture division may also be engaged to assist in seizing property from non-compliant individuals.
Critics of the proposal argue that the fines would disproportionately burden low-income and mixed-status families—households in which undocumented individuals live alongside U.S. citizens or lawful residents. Immigration advocates warn that the policy appears designed to instill fear and confusion, rather than ensure lawful compliance. They also point to the Biden administration’s 2021 decision to rescind similar penalties, emphasizing a stark contrast in enforcement philosophies.
If implemented, this renewed approach would mark a significant escalation in immigration enforcement under a potential second Trump presidency.
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