Trump Administration Seeks Nearly $1 Million from Non-Compliant Immigrants
The Trump administration is now asking for close to $1 million from undocumented immigrants who do not follow deportation orders.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has calculated fees and outstanding interest amounting to $941,114. This figure comes from the case of Marta Alicia Ramirez Veliz, an undocumented individual residing in Chesterfield County, Virginia, who failed to leave the country despite a final removal order. This reflects a rather tough stance the White House has taken regarding immigration laws.
An immigration judge had mandated Bellis’ removal back in July 2019, and following a failed appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals in September 2022, the order became final.
According to the DOJ, Bellis did not adhere to this order, which led federal authorities to issue her a penalty notice on April 29, 2025. Since the penalty couldn’t be contested within 30 days, a final order imposing the fee was finalized on June 25, 2025.
Details about Bellis’ hometown were not immediately available in the court documents. Politico was the first to highlight this significant lawsuit.
“Defendant is obligated to pay to the United States any civil penalties imposed for his willful failure to depart or his refusal to depart within the departure deadline,” court documents from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated. “As of April 24, 2025, the total principal amount of civil penalties is $941,114.00.”
This amount results from accumulating $998 daily fines since the Board of Immigration Appeals rejected her appeal over 940 days ago. It’s thought to be among the highest penalties levied under the new policies initiated by the Trump administration in 2025.
Earlier in June, the DOJ, along with Homeland Security, introduced a new rule that abolishes the 30-day warning period for fines related to undocumented immigrants who do not comply with removal orders. This means they could face fines nearing $1,000 every day immediately. Although these fines were initially established during the first Trump term, they were later rescinded by the Biden administration, which deemed them “unnecessary.”
Interestingly, while the Trump administration is toughening penalties for undocumented immigrants, it’s also providing incentives for compliance.
In May, the administration began offering undocumented individuals free flights and $1,000 stipends should they choose to voluntarily leave, framing it as a mutually beneficial situation since arresting and deporting individuals is far more costly. This approach was sweetened in June with the offer that fines for failing to adhere to deportation orders could be waived for those who agree to be deported.
This strategy seems to be yielding some results. DHS managed to deport around 622,000 undocumented immigrants in President Trump’s first year, and an additional 1.9 million opted for self-deportation during the same timeframe.
