US plans on seizing unlawful migrants’ property
(MENAFN) The U.S. government is considering seizing property from undocumented migrants who fail to pay fines for overstaying deportation orders, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.
Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has intensified his efforts to curb illegal immigration. As part of this crackdown, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced that migrants who remain in the country after receiving a final removal order will be fined $998 per day. Reuters reported on Tuesday that if these fines go unpaid, the government may confiscate the migrants' property.
A senior official told the outlet that the penalties could be applied retroactively for up to five years, potentially resulting in fines exceeding $1 million in some cases.
While federal law does not prohibit undocumented immigrants from owning property—such as homes or vehicles—certain states, including Texas and Florida, require proof of legal status for tasks like vehicle registration or obtaining a driver’s license.
Internal emails reviewed by Reuters indicate that the White House has directed U.S. Customs and Border Protection to oversee the collection of fines, asset seizures, and the sale of non-compliant migrants’ property. The policy is expected to target approximately 1.4 million individuals who have been ordered deported by immigration judges.
The fines are based on a 1996 law that was first enforced under Trump’s administration in 2018. At that time, court records show that at least four migrants were each fined around $60,000. President Joe Biden ended the practice and repealed the fines when he took office in 2021.
Trump, who frequently criticized Biden’s immigration policies during his campaign, has reintroduced and expanded several hardline measures since returning to office. These include fast-tracking deportations, withholding federal funds from sanctuary cities, increasing border enforcement personnel, and invoking a national emergency to deploy the military at the southern border.
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