WEBDESK: US President Donald Trump is planning a strict new policy targeting migrants who remain in the country after being ordered to leave. The plan includes a $998 daily fine for each day a migrant stays in the U.S. after receiving a deportation notice, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.
According to reports, Donald Trump wants to enforce a rule from 1996 that allows the U.S. government to issue civil fines to migrants who fail to follow deportation orders. This rule was rarely used in the past, but Donald Trump had briefly enforced it during his first term and now aims to bring it back with even tougher measures.
The fines could also be applied retroactively – going back up to five years. This means that some migrants could end up owing over $1 million. In addition, Trump’s team is considering seizing the property of those who do not or cannot pay.
DHS warned of the fines in a March 31 social media post. The White House has pressed US Customs and Border Protection to handle the issue of penalties, property seizures for migrants who don’t pay, and the sale of their assets.
The Department of Justice’s civil asset forfeiture division could be another option for the seizures, one email said.
President Donald Trump kicked off a sweeping immigration crackdown after taking office in January, testing the bounds of US law to increase arrests and deportations. The planned fines target the roughly 1.4 million migrants who have been ordered removed by an immigration judge. The Department of Homeland Security is also encouraging undocumented migrants to “self-deport” using a mobile app called CBP One.
Critics believe this move is meant to scare immigrant communities rather than create practical solutions. They argue that the fines are unfair, especially for low-income families, and will only increase fear and confusion.
Read more: Donald Trump announces 25 per cent tariffs on foreign cars
