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Billal Rahman is an immigration reporter based in London, U.K. He specializes in immigration policy and border security. He has uncovered allegations of misconduct among border agents under investigation and exposed claims of abuse at ICE-run detention centers in the U.S. He joined Newsweek in 2024 from The Independent. He has covered the British Post Office scandal and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Originally from Glasgow, he studied Journalism in Edinburgh and then worked for STV News before moving to London in 2022. You can contact Billal at
Immigration Reporter
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The Trump administration is seeking to accelerate its efforts to impose fines of up to $1,000 per day on individuals illegally in the United States.
"The law doesn't enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it," Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek.
Under current policy, the government provides a 30-day notice before initiating fines against individuals in the U.S. without legal status.
The new rule from the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security would allow fines to begin immediately, without a prior notice period.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump returned to the White House with a vow to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, responding to a surge in southwest border crossings over the past four years. The administration is ramping up pressure on immigration authorities to accelerate deportations—efforts that are currently constrained by limited resources and detention space. The fines could deter migrants without legal status from staying in the country and lead to them signing up to self-deport.
What To Know
Fines would range from $100 to $500 for each unauthorized entry into the county, up to nearly $10,000 for failing to voluntarily depart after a judge's order, and up to $1,000 per day for noncompliance with a removal order, according to ABC News, which first reported the move.
"DHS believes that the nature of the failure-to-depart and unlawful entry penalties supports the need for more streamlined procedures," the rule reads, the outlet said.
The policy of fining migrants in the U.S. without legal status was first implemented during President Trump's initial term, when he invoked a 1996 law to levy fines totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars on nine migrants who had sought sanctuary in churches. The practice was discontinued under President Biden, who revoked the related policies after taking office in 2021. It was reinstated after Trump returned to office in January.
The fines could disproportionately affect lower-income immigrants. An analysis of 2019 Census data by the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute revealed that 26 percent of households with unauthorized immigrants had incomes below the federal poverty line.
What People Are Saying
McLaughlin told Newsweek: "President Trump and Secretary Noem are standing up for law and order and making our government more effective and efficient at enforcing the American people's immigration laws. Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it's too late."
What Happens Next
The Department of Homeland Security is expected to issue more fines.
Update 06/27/25 12:00 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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