Federal Judge Blocks Fines Imposed on Migrants by Trump Administration

<p>A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration's attempts to fine migrants up to $1.8 million for failing to leave the country after receiving final deportation orders. U.S. District Judge George O'Toole in Boston issued the ruling on Monday in response to a class-action lawsuit filed last year by two migrants who received civil penalties from the Department of Homeland Security.</p><p>The judge granted preliminary relief to the plaintiffs, stating that the administration's process for imposing the fines violated federal law, and that migrants in an "economically precarious position" could be pushed into "insolvency." O'Toole noted, "The plaintiffs live in an economically precarious position even without the imposition of the government’s exorbitant fines."</p><p>He added that the fines could lead to the possible garnishment of wages, loss of vehicles and homes, and federal collections lawsuits. O'Toole explained that if the plaintiffs were successful in this suit, there was no indication that requiring the government to vacate their fine notices would restore their circumstances.</p><p>O'Toole, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, described the plaintiffs as individuals working for low salaries who came to the U.S. to escape political violence. He referred to one plaintiff, Nancy M., who was fined over $1.8 million and reported feeling serious anxiety affecting her daily life.</p><p>The judge also found that the administration's fine notices violated the Administrative Procedure Act by not providing specific allegations that justified the penalties. Fox News Digital reached out to DHS for comment.</p><p>As of July, DHS reported issuing more than 103,000 fines to migrants totaling about $84 billion since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025. DHS has defended the penalties, stating that individuals who refuse to leave the country after receiving a final order of removal could face fines of $998 per day.</p><p>While Congress authorized civil penalties under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, no administration had attempted to impose such fines until Trump's first term. Last year, fines of $998 per day were imposed retroactively for up to five years, with a maximum penalty of $1.8 million.</p><p>In July 2025, DHS and the Department of Justice implemented changes to streamline the assessment of fines, eliminating a 30-day notice period and shortening the process for challenging penalties. The plaintiffs successfully challenged this policy and the practice of issuing fines without independently assessing whether a person's failure to leave was "willful" or "voluntary."</p><p>O'Toole also found that the administration did not comply with rulemaking processes in implementing its streamlined fine-imposition process, as it did not allow public comment on the policy change. Congressional lawmakers, including Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., have urged DHS and DOJ to pause the "improper application of certain civil penalties" to "law-abiding immigrants."</p><p><i>Reuters contributed to this report.</i></p>