A lawsuit has emerged, backed by a group linked financially to George and Alex Soros’ Open Society Foundations. This class-action suit filed by undocumented immigrants takes aim at President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fines levied against those who do not voluntarily leave the United States.
On Thursday, two undocumented women initiated legal action with assistance from the Immigration Law Resource Center. They are seeking a federal judge’s intervention to prevent the DHS from enforcing fines that could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars for not opting to self-deport.
The Immigration Legal Resource Center benefits significantly from Soros’ Open Society Foundations, receiving millions annually—around $3.9 million, in fact. In 2021, they also acquired nearly one million in grants from these foundations.
The women involved in the lawsuit have both received final deportation orders from federal immigration judges but continue to reside in the U.S.
Here’s a closer look at the lawsuit:
Plaintiff Maria L. lives in eastern Massachusetts and is under a final removal order. She remains in the country to seek humanitarian immigration relief that would allow her to obtain lawful permanent resident status (i.e., a green card). The defendant has imposed a civil penalty on her amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars under Section 1324(d). [Emphasis added]
Plaintiff Nancy M. resides in southern Florida and is also subject to a final removal order. She is in the U.S. with permission from ICE under a supervision order requiring her to check in annually, which she has done since the order’s inception. Nancy is also pursuing family-based immigration relief for lawful permanent residency. DHS has levied a civil penalty of about $1.8 million on her under Section 1324(d). [Emphasis added]
The undocumented immigrants, supported by attorneys from the Immigration Law Resource Center, contend that the fines imposed by DHS are unlawful.
Last month, it was reported that DHS has issued over 31,600 penalty notices, amounting to more than $9.6 billion directed at undocumented individuals.
DHS’s Tricia McLaughlin made it clear: “Our message is straightforward: If you are in the country illegally, leave now or face the consequences.”
The case is referenced as Maria L. vs. Noem, case number 1:25-cv-13471, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
