US Border Patrol to charge illegal migrants with $5K ‘apprehension fee’

The U.S. Border Patrol announced Friday that it will begin imposing a $5,000 “apprehension fee” on all migrants caught in the country illegally.

The fee was approved under President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and is in addition to other penalties already applied to some migrants taken into custody, Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks said in a statement on X.

Banks explained that any migrant “age 14 or older” who entered or was brought into the U.S. “without inspection” will face the $5,000 fee. “This message applies to all illegal aliens—regardless of where they entered, how long they’ve been in the U.S., their current location, or any ongoing immigration proceedings,” he said.

U.S. border wall gate, open to reveal a dry, hilly landscape with a highway overpass in the distance. — US Border Patrol will be charging illegal immigrants a $5,000 “apprehension fee.” REUTERS

The new “apprehension fee” is part of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Congress approved in early July. The legislation allocates up to $170 billion for immigration enforcement over the next four years.

Since President Trump began his second term, illegal border crossings have fallen to their lowest levels since 1970.

Screenshot of a tweet by Chief Michael W. Banks stating that illegal aliens aged 14 or older will be assessed a $5,000 apprehension fee, and other violations will apply, regardless of entry point, duration in the U.S., current location, or immigration proceedings. — USBP Chief Michael Banks announced the “apprehension fee” on his X account. X/@USBPChief

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been conducting raids across the country, including in New York City and Los Angeles. Earlier this year, officials announced that migrants with deportation orders who refuse to leave voluntarily would face a $1,000 daily fine for overstaying.

A U.S. Border Patrol vehicle drives near a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. — A Border Patrol vehicle conducts surveillance near a section of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. REUTERS

Five Border Patrol agents in tactical gear, including vests, balaclavas, and helmets, walking on a street with a white SUV in the background. — Illegal crossings at the US-Mexico border have plummeted during the Trump administration. Getty Images

In late August, the Wall Street Journal reported that roughly 21,500 fines had been issued, totaling an estimated $6.1 billion. Officials have also offered migrants a $1,000 incentive to leave the U.S. voluntarily, or to “self-deport,” through the Customs and Border Protection Home app.

The Department of Homeland Security says approximately 1.9 million migrants have self-deported since Inauguration Day.

Original Source