Homeland Security Billings Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors Thousands of Dollars in Fine
The Department of Homeland Security has sent unaccompanied immigrant teenagers thousands of dollars in fines for entering the United States without an adult sponsor. According to youth advocates and fine notices reviewed by New York Focus, at least 10 teenagers in New York and one in Michigan have been issued with $5,000 fines.
The fine is part of a new set of financial penalties created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in July. The law also includes fees for immigrants to apply for asylum, work permits, and removal from the country.
Critics say the fine will be difficult for unaccompanied minors to pay, as they have no ability to work and are often relying on government services for their care. "It's really about creating fear," said Ana Raquel Devereaux, attorney representing one of the teenagers in Michigan. "There's no way that a child in this situation would be able to pay this, and the penalties are so severe."
Advocates argue that the fine will incentivize people to cross at legal entry points rather than risk dangerous desert terrain. However, supporters of the fine say it's intended to discourage parents from paying smugglers to bring their kids into the country.
The fine is one of several ways the Trump administration has sought to pressure unaccompanied minors into returning to their home countries. In recent weeks, the government has attempted to deport dozens of unaccompanied Guatemalan children in custody and offered $2,500 to minors who agree to leave the country.
It's unclear how many immigrants have received the fine, but advocates say it may be targeting those in federal custody, where minors are particularly vulnerable due to their lack of access to lawyers. The number of unaccompanied children crossing the border has plummeted under Trump, from over 6,000 last October to around 2,000 on average this September.
The Intercept reports that court orders are being ignored, and MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of military and federal law enforcement agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency has stripped Congress of its power of the purse, and news outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or investigated.
As the situation continues to unfold, advocates are calling for greater transparency and accountability from the government. "We're seeing a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government," said Theo Liebmann, a law professor at Hofstra University. "This is not hyperbole."
The Department of Homeland Security has sent unaccompanied immigrant teenagers thousands of dollars in fines for entering the United States without an adult sponsor. According to youth advocates and fine notices reviewed by New York Focus, at least 10 teenagers in New York and one in Michigan have been issued with $5,000 fines.
The fine is part of a new set of financial penalties created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in July. The law also includes fees for immigrants to apply for asylum, work permits, and removal from the country.
Critics say the fine will be difficult for unaccompanied minors to pay, as they have no ability to work and are often relying on government services for their care. "It's really about creating fear," said Ana Raquel Devereaux, attorney representing one of the teenagers in Michigan. "There's no way that a child in this situation would be able to pay this, and the penalties are so severe."
Advocates argue that the fine will incentivize people to cross at legal entry points rather than risk dangerous desert terrain. However, supporters of the fine say it's intended to discourage parents from paying smugglers to bring their kids into the country.
The fine is one of several ways the Trump administration has sought to pressure unaccompanied minors into returning to their home countries. In recent weeks, the government has attempted to deport dozens of unaccompanied Guatemalan children in custody and offered $2,500 to minors who agree to leave the country.
It's unclear how many immigrants have received the fine, but advocates say it may be targeting those in federal custody, where minors are particularly vulnerable due to their lack of access to lawyers. The number of unaccompanied children crossing the border has plummeted under Trump, from over 6,000 last October to around 2,000 on average this September.
The Intercept reports that court orders are being ignored, and MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of military and federal law enforcement agencies. The Department of Government Efficiency has stripped Congress of its power of the purse, and news outlets that challenge Trump have been banished or investigated.
As the situation continues to unfold, advocates are calling for greater transparency and accountability from the government. "We're seeing a full-on authoritarian takeover of the U.S. government," said Theo Liebmann, a law professor at Hofstra University. "This is not hyperbole."
just thinkin about this fine bein given to these kids who are already in a super tough spot... like how r u s'posed 2 pay $5k when ur parents didn't bring u or u even know where they are? its all good 4 them smugglers makin money offa desperate ppl tho 
I'm not sure what's more disturbing - the fact that these kids are being fined thousands of dollars or the fact that some people think it's a good idea to penalize them for trying to escape from violent situations in their home countries 
. Like, come on, we're talking about minors here who have been forced to leave their families behind and risk life and death to get here. Do we really want to add financial stress to an already impossible situation? 
It's just not right.
- what about the kids who can't just walk up to a border crossing and say "oh, I'd like to enter the country please"? They're still gonna need help, whether it's from smugglers or government services. We need to find a better way to deal with this crisis than piling on more financial punishment 
.
It's like we're living in some kind of dystopian novel 
. I mean, can you even imagine having to pay that kind of money? It's like, they're already in this super tough situation, and now they're facing this huge fine? 
And it's not just the financial burden, but also the emotional toll of being forced to leave their family and everything they know behind. 
. And what's with the whole "encouraging" parents not to send their kids through smugglers thing? Like, isn't that just a fancy way of saying we're leaving these kids vulnerable to exploitation? 
. This fine is just another example of how the current policies are failing, and it's time for some real changes 
.
and what's with the whole 'parents pay smugglers' thing? like, don't they know that parents are already struggling to make ends meet? 
it's not fair to punish them even more. i'm really worried about these kids in federal custody - they need help and support, not fines 
... I guess the government thinks it'll discourage people from smugglin' 'em in, but what about those who can't afford to pay? It's all about creatin' fear, man 
...
and we know most of these kids can't even get a job to pay it off 
Do they get to pay for those fines too? It's like, another way to make life harder for already vulnerable kids 
.
. I mean, thousands of dollars in fines for unaccompanied minors? It's just so unfair 
. They're already going through so much, being separated from their families and stuff. The fact that they have no ability to work and rely on government services is just not right 
I don't know what's going on, but this whole situation just feels so confusing 
. We need to be able to question our leaders and hold them accountable for their actions 
.
they're already in a super vulnerable position, and now they gotta worry about paying a huge fine? 
anyway, let's hope the government can find a better way to handle these situations 
this isn't right, especially when they're silencing people who actually care about transparency and accountability.
what's the government hiding? and yeah court orders are being ignored and it looks like trump is just using his minions to get away with stuff 
.
. These kids are people too, with hopes and dreams and fears. They deserve compassion, not fines 