U.S. Customs and Border Protection has hired private contractors to locate more than 66,000 deported individuals and recover roughly $423 million in unpaid immigration fines and fees. Here is what that means, including for illegal aliens considering self-deportation.
CBP Hires Private Contractors to Recover Unpaid Fines
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has hired private contractors to hunt down more than 66,000 deported individuals in countries like Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala to recover roughly $423 million in unpaid immigration fines and fees.
From President Trump’s return to office in Jan. 2025, through July 2026, ICE has issued more than 103,000 civil fines against illegal aliens, totaling more than $84 billion, and these deported illegals probably assumed they were home free, if you will.
Not so fast. They’re comin for ya!
Will This Affect Self-Deportation?
Now you may be wondering whether this move will make illegal aliens in the U.S. LESS likely to self-deport, but I think the opposite is true because the only way to get their fines forgiven is to self-deport.
They also get an exit bonus of $3,000 and a free trip out of the country, at U.S. taxpayer expense.
Beats running from some badass bounty hunters, losing access to all of your money in U.S. bank accounts—that’s starting to happen—or being deported to Liberia or the Congo.
A Note on Enforcement
Of course, if CBP officials REALLY wanted mass deportations, they’d put the Commander, Gregory Bovino, back on the street.
But, at least for now, he’s been sidelined.
About Me
I’m Joseph Bovino, U.S. immigration and business attorney based in the free state of Florida and serving clients worldwide who don’t have to run from the law.
Want to talk through your situation? Book a consultation with me.
