U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has levied a civil fine of over $1.82 million against an undocumented immigrant living in Florida, citing her failure to depart the country following a removal order issued nearly two decades ago.
The Honduran woman, who is the mother of three U.S.-born children, received a notice on May 9 from ICE’s civil fines department. The agency calculated the fine at $500 per day for each day she remained in the U.S. since the 2005 removal order, bringing the total to $1,821,350.
According to her attorney, Michelle Sanchez, the removal order was issued after her client failed to appear at a court hearing in 2005. Sanchez, who filed a motion in 2024 to reopen the case and lift the order, argues the woman is eligible for U.S. residency. She has lived in the country for more than 10 years, has no criminal record, and is the primary caregiver for her three children, all of whom are U.S. citizens.
“This is ICE terrorizing individuals without even having to go pick them up,” Sanchez told CBS News. “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 that amount in their lifetime.”
The notice states that the fine can be contested and that the woman has the option to request a personal interview to challenge it.
The penalty is being enforced under a little-used provision of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, which allows ICE to impose civil fines against undocumented immigrants. While the statute has existed for decades, such enforcement actions have historically been rare.
Sanchez told CBS News she has recently seen an increase in the number of civil fine notices being issued to her clients. However, she noted that this case marks the first time she has seen a fine of this magnitude.
Florida has long been a major hub for immigrants, with over 22 percent of its population—about 5 million people—being foreign-born, according to the American Immigration Council. In a new immigration initiative, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that state troopers now have the authority to detain undocumented immigrants independently of federal agencies.
The outcome of the woman’s motion to reopen her case is still pending.
