An illegal alien in the United States found out that she would be fined by US immigration authorities for being in the states unlawfully for 20 years.
The illegal alien, living in Florida, owes $1.8 million. According to CBS News, the illegal alien was issued the removal order in 2005.
Reportedly, this figure reflects a daily $500 civil fine for each day she refused to comply with the removal order and self-deport.
CBS News reported that this rule stems back to 1952 and has “rarely been enforced.”
This illegal immigrant has three children who are US citizens.
This illegal alien is not the only one facing this hefty fine. Reuters spoke with eight immigration lawyers around the country who said their clients had been fined from several thousand dollars to just over $1.8 million (Reuters):
The recipients of the notices were informed that they had 30 days to contest, in writing, under oath, and with evidence as to why the penalty should not be imposed.
The steep fines are part of Trump’s aggressive push to get immigrants in the U.S. illegally to leave the country voluntarily, or “self deport.”
The Trump administration plan, details of which were first reported by Reuters in April, include levying fines of $998 per day for migrants who failed to leave the U.S. after a deportation order.
The administration planned to issue fines retroactively for up to five years, Reuters reported. Under that framework, the maximum would be $1.8 million. The government would then consider seizing the property of immigrants who could not pay.
In a statement to the outlet in April, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said illegals should "self deport and leave the country now."