Government issues $5,000 fines to immigrant children as young as 14
The Department of Homeland Security has issued $5,000 fines to unaccompanied immigrant teenagers for entering the United States without authorization, according to youth advocates and notices reviewed by media outlets.
In mid-October, roughly 10 teenagers in New York, aged 14 to 17, received the fines, and at least one teen in Michigan was also issued a notice, according to the teen’s lawyer. The fines were sent under a provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Donald Trump in July, titled the “Inadmissible alien apprehension fee,” which applies to individuals apprehended between official ports of entry.
The affected teens are living in shelters managed by the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) while awaiting release to adult sponsors. Advocates note that children in government custody have no means to pay such fines. “It’s really about creating fear,” said Ana Raquel Devereaux, who represents the Michigan teen. “There’s no way that a child in this situation would be able to pay this, and the penalties are so severe.”
Other minors in Texas and Pennsylvania have reportedly received similar fines. The move comes amid broader efforts by the administration to pressure unaccompanied minors to return to their home countries, including recent attempts to deport Guatemalan children and offering $2,500 for voluntary departure.
The fine notices state that full payment is due immediately and warn of potential consequences for nonpayment, including legal collection and negative effects on immigration cases. Unpaid fines accrue interest. Advocates argue that the notices are intended to coerce minors into leaving the country voluntarily.
The new law also imposes other fees for immigrants, including $100 to apply for asylum, $100 annually while applications are pending, $550 for work permit applications, and $5,000 for those ordered removed in absentia. Confusion over how to pay these fees has already caused concern among immigrants.
Supporters of the fines say they are intended to discourage dangerous unauthorized border crossings and to make parents responsible for preventing their children from being brought illegally to the U.S. Critics counter that the penalties target vulnerable children who lack resources and legal knowledge.
The total number of minors who have received the $5,000 fines remains unclear. Advocates note that ORR’s unaccompanied youth population has fallen sharply under Trump, but the fines disproportionately affect children who are recently arrived and without legal representation, leaving them particularly vulnerable.
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