US seeks to collect millions in fines from deported migrants abroad

The Trump administration is moving to collect unpaid immigration fines from people who have already been deported or left the United States voluntarily. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has identified 66,387 individuals owing a combined $423 million in civil penalties, and is now seeking a private company to locate these debtors in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras Source: Excelsior. This marks the first time CBP will contract a collection agency to operate outside U.S. borders; previously, such efforts were limited to letters and phone calls from within the country Source: EFE via El Caribe.

The fines

The largest fines stem from failing to comply with a final removal order. The daily penalty, originally set at $500 in 1996, has been adjusted for inflation to $998 per day Source: Infobae. Additional fines include $15,000 for unauthorized border crossings Source: Excelsior. One Mexican mother in San Diego reportedly received a bill for $1.82 million Source: Excelsior.

The collection plan

CBP's solicitation requires the winning contractor to be a U.S.-registered company capable of locating debtors in at least Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Once found, the contractor must notify the individual of the debt and facilitate payment, either in full or through an installment plan Source: Diario Libre. The company must also prove it identified the correct person, using evidence such as photos of residences, utility bills, or employment records Source: El Caribe. The program is budgeted at up to $9 million over two years Source: El Caribe.

Disagreement and context

While most sources agree on the key figures, there is a discrepancy regarding the maximum fine: Excelsior reports a cap of five years' accumulation, while El Caribe notes that recent cases have reached $1.8 million Source: Excelsior, El Caribe. The administration reactivated civil fine collection last year, and this new effort extends enforcement beyond U.S. borders for the first time Source: Heraldo de México.