Trump Admin Looks to Charge Some Immigrants $18k to Deport Them

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published May 19, 2026 at 02:59 PM EDT updated May 19, 2026 at 05:06 PM EDT


The Trump administration is considering tripling the amount some immigrants are fined if they miss court hearings and are later deported.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the amount immigrants currently pay is not enough to cover the cost of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents locating, detaining and deporting them.

The proposed change comes amid a sharp rise in people failing to appear for immigration court hearings, which experts say is a result of multiple factors, including fear of detention.

"The move to 18K for in absentia orders, where it is not clear if the recipient even knew about the hearing is extreme," Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former senior ICE official, told Newsweek. "To add these fees, while Congress is debating giving ICE billions of dollars more for enforcement against people who have been working in the U.S. for decades and may even have relief available, makes no sense and continues to criminalize and bankrupt our neighbors."

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/trump-admin-charge-some-immigrants-18k-deportation-11967794

[no_hypocrisy]

1. HA! That's as absurd as Child Protection charging my client, a mother,

a hefty sum to compensate the agency for shelling out money to the people who took in HER children as foster parents. (We protested and the financial package was dropped.)

[somsai]

2. I've seen hefty overstay charges $75 per day in China

Only $15 in Thailand. Working without a visa is much more harsh, detention and deportation with multi year restrictions on re entry. No courts or anything, just police and prison.

[RazorbackExpat]

3. The grift goes on, the grift goes on...

[PhilG]

4. Just Make The Check Out To: Donald J Trump

JFC

[Wuddles440]

5. This is just another charade to provide...

a 'legal' justification for retaining any assets that the ICE thugs stole from the targeted population. Nothing more than street punks dividing up their booty from pillaging.