Immigrant hit with $368,000 penalty cannot locate payment information
Daniel, a long-time U.S. resident, was billed nearly $368,000 in civil penalties but the government notice omitted the required payment identifier, leaving him unable to pay.
Daniel entered the United States two decades ago, sought asylum, and eventually married a U.S. citizen, but a removal order later triggered a civil monetary penalty under an executive order issued by Donald Trump. The penalty, calculated at $998 per day, has risen to roughly $368,000, yet the letter sent to Daniel left the required penalty tracking number blank. Efforts to pay through pay.gov were thwarted by website outages, missing dropdown options, and the inability to use checks or money orders.
Legal aid groups, including Neighbors Link and the Legal Aid Society, report that none of their immigrant clients have succeeded in paying these fines because the system provides no clear instructions or breakdown of the charges. The letters also give only a 15-business-day window to contest the fines, often after that deadline has passed. Attorneys advise clients to document every attempt to pay in case the debt is later considered in immigration proceedings.
Why it matters
It shows how a new immigration penalty system can trap residents in unpayable debt due to administrative failures.
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