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The Department of Homeland Security has issued more than 103,000 civil fines totaling about $84 billion to illegal immigrants since President Donald Trump returned to office, while collecting approximately $1.2 billion in payments, according to the department.
A DHS official noted that the fines have been issued over the past 18 months as part of the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy.
The administration announced shortly after Trump took office that illegal immigrants subject to final removal orders could be fined $998 per day if they failed to voluntarily leave the United States or otherwise comply with their removal orders.
Under the policy, individuals are required to pay the civil penalties before being deported. DHS has also said it may seize assets from those who fail to pay the fines.
The penalties are part of a broader effort by the administration to encourage illegal immigrants to leave the country voluntarily rather than face arrest and removal proceedings.
DHS has argued that self-deportation is significantly less expensive than traditional deportation operations and helps reduce enforcement costs while increasing compliance with immigration laws.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has promoted the initiative through the CBP Home mobile app, distributing materials that outline the potential benefits and consequences for illegal immigrants considering voluntary departure.
“Self-deportation is safe,” one CBP flyer states, according to The New York Post. “Leave on your own terms by picking your departure flight.”
According to DHS, illegal immigrants without criminal records who voluntarily leave the United States may retain money earned while in the country and remain eligible to pursue legal immigration pathways in the future. The department also said some individuals may qualify for government-subsidized airfare if they cannot afford transportation to their home country.
The agency warned that those who do not voluntarily depart could instead face arrest by immigration authorities.
Earlier this year, DHS said more than 3 million illegal immigrants had left the United States during Trump’s first year back in office, including an estimated 2.2 million who voluntarily departed. The department also reported that, as of May 17, the administration had deported nearly 900,000 illegal immigrants and arrested more than 900,000 others.