Trump Plans $998 Daily Fines and Property Seizures for Migrants Who Defy Deportation Orders

Donald Trump is ramping up his immigration crackdown with a controversial plan to fine migrants up to $998 per day if they don’t comply with final deportation orders. The penalties, which stem from a little-used 1996 law, could be applied retroactively for up to five years, leaving some migrants facing fines that could exceed $1 million.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has already started notifying migrants through social media and emails, warning them to leave the U.S. voluntarily using a mobile app, now rebranded as CBP Home. If they refuse, DHS says they’ll face daily fines and potentially lose their property.

Trump’s administration is also considering seizing assets from migrants who don’t pay up. Internal emails show the White House is pushing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to handle fines, property seizures, and the possible sale of assets. The Department of Justice may also be brought in to help with civil forfeiture.

The fines target around 1.4 million migrants who have already received final deportation orders. Many have been in the U.S. for years, building lives, raising families, and working jobs, often in households that include U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

This is not the first time Trump has tried to enforce this law. During his first term, his administration issued massive fines against a small number of migrants living in churches for sanctuary. While those fines were later withdrawn or reduced, the legal mechanism stayed in place.

Former President Joe Biden had ended the policy during his term, but with Trump back in office, the plan is back, and bigger than ever.

While DHS is pushing forward, there are still questions about how the system will work. CBP has warned that it lacks the technical infrastructure to handle fines at this scale and would need over 1,000 new paralegal specialists to manage the process.

With implementation details still unclear, what is certain is that this plan represents one of the most aggressive uses of financial penalties in immigration enforcement history. For millions of families across the country, especially in mixed-status households, the consequences could be financially devastating.

This story is developing.