Florida woman hit with $1.82m fine for ignoring 2005 deportation order

A 41-year-old undocumented immigrant from Honduras living in Florida has been hit with a staggering $1.82 million civil fine for failing to leave the United States after receiving a deportation order nearly two decades ago, reported CBS News. The woman, a mother of three US citizen children, was fined $500 for each day she remained in the country since the removal order was issued in April 2005, according to a notice dated May 9 from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).Immigration attorney Michelle Sanchez, who is representing the woman, was quoted by CBS News as saying that the fine is unprecedented in her experience. “ICE is terrorizing individuals without even having to go pick them up,” Sanchez said.

“They are terrorizing them by sending these notices where they are fining individuals an exorbitant amount of money that a person sometimes doesn’t even make in their lifetime.”The case marks a rare enforcement of civil penalties under the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, which had long gone largely dormant until the Trump administration revived it as part of its aggressive immigration agenda. The Trump administration has recently also unveiled a “self-deportation programme” offering undocumented migrants free flights and even financial bonuses if they voluntarily leave the US through the CBP Home app.

In her defence, Sanchez said the deportation order was issued in 2005 after her client missed a court hearing. In 2024, she filed a motion to reopen the case, arguing that the woman had lived in the US for over 10 years without a criminal record and was eligible for legal residency. The request was denied in March, with ICE citing the Trump administration's lack of updated prosecutorial discretion guidelines.As per CBS News, the fine notice sent to the Florida woman offers the option to request an interview to contest the charges.

But Sanchez cautioned against appearing in person without legal counsel. “They’re going into the lion’s den,” she said, adding that her client was never informed of the consequences of ignoring the removal order.While President Trump insists the new deportation policy will “save American taxpayers billions,” critics argue it is causing fear and distress in immigrant communities. A former ICE official under Biden, Scott Shuchart, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Their point isn’t really to enforce the law, it’s to project fear in communities.”