According to government documents and emails, the Trump administration is reportedly taking steps to fine migrants under deportation orders up to $988 per day if they do not leave the United States. The administration plans to evoke a 1996 law to justify this act, which was enforced for the first time in history during Trump’s first presidential term in 2018 in an attempt to fine nine migrants seeking sanctuary in churches for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A senior Trump official said this policy could be retroactively enforced for up to five years, potentially resulting in more than $1 million in total fees. In addition to a daily fine, the administration stated they are considering seizing the assets and property of migrants who fail to pay. This policy intends to target about 1.4 million migrants who have faced deportation orders by an immigration judge, continuing the administration’s crackdown on immigration since January.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Calls on Migrants to “Self-Deport”
U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin urged immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally to use an app that the Trump administration rebranded as CBP Home—formerly CBP One—to “self-deport and leave the country now” in a statement to Reuters. “If they don’t, they will face the consequences.”
The Department of Homeland Security echoed the warning in a March 31 social media post, stating, “The CBP Home app gives illegal aliens the option to LEAVE NOW and self-deport. If they don’t, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return.”
Contact a Deportation Attorney Today
Although facing the possibility of detainment is scary, we highly advise immigrants to remain cooperative with local law officers and to proactively contact deportation attorneys.
Reeves Immigration Law Group has served immigrants and their loved ones for 40 years, obtaining success even in the most complex cases. Whether you are concerned about you and your family’s legal rights, or facing possible detainment or deportation, our team of immigration lawyers can provide expert advice on how to move forward.
Contact us today to connect with the best deportation lawyers. We promise to be by your side through it all because we believe in making a difference in the lives of others and our community.
