Overview

• DHS has issued roughly 21,500 fines to noncitizens who ignored removal orders, with penalties reaching up to $998 per day and often applied retroactively for about five years.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Debt Collection Service is working with ICE to secure payment of civil fines and penalties.
• Recent notices warn of escalating interest, late fees, administrative charges of about 32 percent, and potential alerts to credit bureaus for delinquent debts.
• A DHS-promoted self-deport option via the CBP Home app offers up to $1,000 and a free flight, and officials say participants will not have to pay the fines.
• Rule changes introduced in June allow officers to threaten fees and eliminate appeal rights if recipients fail to respond within 15 days, drawing criticism from attorneys who call the approach coercive and unrealistic to collect.