The United States Border Patrol announced this Friday the implementation of a $5,000 fine for all undocumented migrants over 14 years old who are detained after entering the country without inspection.
The measure, officially called "apprehension fee", was authorized under the new immigration legislation promoted by President Donald Trump and approved by Congress in July: the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The head of the Border Patrol, Michael W. Banks, confirmed the decision through a statement published on X, in which he stated that the penalty will be applied without exception. "This message applies to all illegal immigrants, regardless of where they entered, how long they've been in the country, their current location, or any pending immigration process," he indicated.
El jefe de la Patrulla Fronteriza confirmó las acciones a tomarse
The fee is in addition to other economic sanctions introduced by the Trump administration, which has allocated more than $170 billion to strengthening border security and expanding detention and deportation capacity.
Since the beginning of the president's second term, authorities state that irregular crossings have fallen to their lowest level since 1970.
The new law also includes additional measures, such as daily fines of $1,000 for migrants with deportation orders who refuse to leave the country. According to figures released in August, around 21,500 fines of this type have already been applied, totaling approximately $6.1 billion in penalties.
La Patrulla Fronteriza le cobrará USD 5.000 a los inmigrantes indocumentados mayores de 14 años
Meanwhile, the government has launched an "incentivized self-deportation" program, which offers a $1,000 bonus to those who voluntarily leave the country through the CBP mobile application, known as CBP Home. The Department of Homeland Security states that about 1.9 million migrants have chosen this option since the presidential inauguration.
The Border Patrol confirmed that the measure will take effect immediately, while ICE operations continue to intensify in cities such as New York and Los Angeles. The excellent policy is expected to generate new legal challenges in the coming weeks, especially regarding due process.
