Who Could Receive ICE Fines of Up to $18,000?

ICE Fines for Migrants of Up to $18,000

ICE Would Sanction Detained Migrants

DHS Reviews New Proposal

The Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, published a proposal that could result in fines of up to $18,000 for certain migrants in the United States.

The initiative was released on May 22 under the title “Increasing the Fee for Certain Aliens Ordered Removed in Absentia as Established by the HR-1 Reconciliation Bill.”

The measure is still pending review. However, it proposes a significant increase to a fee originally established by H.R.1.

DHS Proposes Raising Penalties for Certain Migrants

Driven by DHS: the rule ICE would apply with a fine of up to US$18,000 for migrants https://t.co/nb5GPECZVl

— LaAlamedaMigrante (@LaAlamedaMigra) May 31, 2026

According to the official document, the proposal seeks to update the amount of a penalty applied to certain noncitizens.

The rule is aimed at people who received a removal order issued in absentia and are later arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, known as ICE.

An in absentia removal order is issued when a migrant does not appear for a hearing before an immigration court.

According to DHS, the proposal is part of an effort to modify the existing fee and adjust it in accordance with the corresponding legislation.

The official text states that the goal is to increase the amount that may currently be applied in these cases.

$18,000 Fines for Migrants With Deportation Orders

The proposal would allow the financial penalty to reach up to $18,000.

The fine would apply to foreign nationals who have a deportation order issued in absentia and who have not left the country.

In addition, the measure would affect those later detained by ICE agents.

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The document explains that the sanction is specifically linked to cases in which there is a removal order issued because the person failed to appear in immigration court.

If the DHS immigration proposal is approved, the amount would represent a considerable increase compared with the fee originally established under H.R.1.

For now, the change has not taken effect and remains under the corresponding review process.

The Proposal Remains Under Review

DHS indicated that the measure has not yet been definitively approved.

The proposal is part of a regulatory process that requires review before it can be implemented.

Meanwhile, the published document details the conditions under which the financial penalty could apply.

Among them is arrest by ICE after a person has received an in absentia removal order.

The text also specifies that these cases involve migrants who did not attend their scheduled hearing before the immigration court.

The publication of the proposal has drawn attention to the possible economic consequences for people in that situation.

For now, the future of ICE fines for migrants will depend on the review process still underway within the Department of Homeland Security.