The Trump administration has put in place a new financial penalty targeting illegal immigration, consisting of a $5,000 fee to be charged to individuals who are apprehended after entering the United States without authorization.

In a statement released on X, the U.S. Border Patrol chief, Michael Banks, said the “apprehension fee” will apply to anyone aged 14 or older who is arrested and deemed inadmissible. The measure was authorized by Congress under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a piece of legislation that allocated billions toward immigration enforcement.

“This message applies to all illegal aliens — regardless of where they entered, how long they’ve been in the US, their current location, or any ongoing immigration proceedings,” Mr. Banks said in his tweet.

While Mr. Banks posted his message this week, the policy has been in place since September, according to a Department of Homeland Security statement quoted by Business Standard, meaning that thousands of detainees may already be subject to the fee.

Individuals who fail or are unable to pay the fee will incur a debt to the government which could impact any attempt to re-enter the country in the future.

An immigration crackdown has brought unauthorized entries to America to a historic low. Arrests at the southwest border under President Trump have dropped to levels not seen since the 1960s, with DHS reporting approximately 7,300 arrests along the border in November — down slightly from the previous month.

Despite the drop in border crossings, interior enforcement has intensified. Border Patrol agents have been deployed to cities far from the border, conducting routine arrests at locations such as car washes and Home Depot parking lots. 

The operations have sparked tension in cities like Chicago and Los Angeles, where heavily armed and masked agents have clashed with protesters. The agency is currently facing multiple lawsuits regarding warrantless arrests and the use of force against demonstrators.

The new fee is the latest in a series of financial measures coupled with the administration’s mass-deportation policy. Earlier this year, officials announced penalties of nearly $1,000 per day for migrants who fail to comply with deportation orders.

Conversely, the administration has introduced incentives for “self-deportation,” offering $1,000 to migrants who voluntarily leave America and process their departure through the Customs and Border Protection Home app. 

The Department of Homeland Security said this week that nearly 2 million foreigners have self-deported since Mr. Trump took office, though the specific number using the app remains unclear.

Critics argue the new apprehension fee stands on shaky legal ground. David Leopold, a Cleveland-based immigration attorney, suggested the policy is likely unlawful and will face immediate challenges in court.

“It raises some serious legal questions and kind of violates people’s rights,” Mr. Leopold told Bloomberg News. “It’s one more coercive tactic.”