Thousands of migrants living in the United States could soon face government fines bigger than several years of income under a new Trump administration deportation crackdown that is already changing behaviour inside immigration courts across the country.
Some migrants are reportedly skipping hearings altogether out of fear they could be detained on arrival, automatically deported and left owing the US government up to $18,000.
The proposal, published this week by the Department of Homeland Security, would sharply increase penalties tied to deportation orders issued after migrants miss court hearings. Officials say the new figure reflects the estimated cost of locating, detaining and deporting a single person, with public comments on the rule remaining open until June 22.
Most of the fines would target migrants ordered removed “in absentia,” meaning a judge issued a deportation order after they failed to appear in court. DHS figures cited in the report showed more than 300,000 people received those orders last year, while roughly 23,670 were eventually detained and deported.
For many families, the numbers involved are almost impossible to absorb financially. USA TODAY noted that average household income in Mexico is roughly $5,000 a year, meaning the proposed fines could exceed several years of earnings for some migrants affected by the policy.
Even government officials appear to recognise most of the money may never actually be collected. The pressure itself may be the point.
Detention centres, transport operations and large-scale deportation efforts are expensive, and the administration is increasingly trying to push more migrants toward voluntary departures before authorities are forced to track them down and remove them directly.
That strategy is already becoming visible elsewhere in the immigration system. Federal officials told USA TODAY they have issued roughly $36 billion in immigration-related fines to around 65,000 people since January 2025, although authorities have not disclosed how much has actually been paid.
Inside immigration courts, lawyers say fear is now reshaping how some migrants respond to the process itself. Some people reportedly no longer believe they can safely attend hearings without risking immediate detention once they arrive at federal buildings.
Missing a single hearing can trigger an automatic deportation order. Under the proposed rules, it could also leave someone facing an $18,000 financial penalty at the same time.
The administration has also expanded incentives aimed at voluntary departures. The Biden-era CBP One app has now been renamed “CBP Home,” and migrants who agree to self-deport can receive payments of roughly $2,600 once they confirm they have left the United States. DHS officials said more than 100,000 people have already used the app to leave voluntarily.
Immigration advocates argue the tougher financial penalties risk driving more families underground instead of improving compliance with immigration law. Lawyers working with migrants say missed hearings are not always intentional. Notices can arrive late, language barriers can create confusion and some migrants fear detention long before they ever reach a courtroom.
For families already struggling to survive, the possibility of owing the US government more money than they could realistically earn in years may ultimately push some people to disappear from official systems altogether, avoid court proceedings entirely or leave the country before immigration authorities ever reach them.
