Trump Will Fine 988 US Dollar Migrants Per Day If He Doesn't Leave America After Deportation

UNSPLASH/Barbara Zandoval ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Donald Trump administration plans to fine migrants charged with deportation orders of up to 998 US dollars per day if they do not leave the United States. Authorities will confiscate their property if they do not pay the fine.

The fine comes from the 1996 law, which was first enacted in 2018, during President Donald Trump's first term of office.

The Trump administration plans to implement the sentence retroactively for up to five years, which could result in fines of more than $1 million, said a senior Trump official, who asked to be called anonymous as reported by Reuters, Tuesday, April 8.

The Trump administration is also considering confiscating immigrants' property that does not pay fines, according to a government email seen by Reuters.

In response to a question from Reuters, US Department of Homeland Security spokesman totaling McLaughlin said immigrants illegally in the US should use a mobile app previously known as CBP One - which was renamed CBP Home under Trump - to "deport themselves and leave the country now."

"If they don't, they will face the consequences," McLaughlin said.

"This includes a fine of $998 per day for each day these illegal immigrants pass their last deportation deadline," he continued.

DHS warned about the fine in social media posts on March 31.

The email seen by Reuters shows the White House has urged Customs and US Border Protection to address fines, property confiscation for unpaid migrants, and the sale of their assets.

The Justice Department's civil asset confiscation Division could be another option for the confiscation.

US President Donald Trump began a thorough immigration crackdown after taking office in January, testing US legal limits to increase arrests and deportations.

The planned fine targets around 1.4 million migrants who have been ordered to be deported by immigration judges.