Detained illegal immigrants will face $5K 'apprehension fee': Border Patrol chief
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks announced that nearly all illegal immigrants detained will be charged a $5,000 "apprehension fee."In a post on X on Thursday, Banks said illegal immigrants...
By Fox News · Fox News
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks announced that nearly all illegal immigrants detained will be charged a $5,000 "apprehension fee." In a post on X on Thursday, Banks said illegal immigrants ages 14 and older who entered the country without inspection will face a fee, a provision included in the "big, beautiful bill," which President Donald Trump signed into law in July. "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," Banks wrote. TRUMP'S REMITTANCE TAX AIMS TO SLOW ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BY TARGETING THE MONEY FLOW The warning came after a lawsuit was filed Thursday against the federal government on behalf of 21,500 immigrants facing daily penalties of $998, reaching up to $1.8 million each for staying in the U.S. illegally. Their lawyers argued they were attempting to comply with federal immigration laws. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in October that migrants paroled in the U.S. would also face a $1,000 fee "to institute accountability and prevent rampant fraud of the parole system." DHS this week launched a "holiday deal of a lifetime," offering illegal immigrants a "Cyber Monday" incentive to self-deport. All illegal immigrants in the country could receive a free flight home and a $1,000 bonus for voluntarily leaving the country . The average cost to arrest, detain and deport someone is $17,000, according to DHS. People in the U.S. illegally may also qualify for forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties incurred for failing to depart, DHS said, allowing the possibility for them to return legally. TRUMP ADMIN ON PACE TO SHATTER DEPORTATION RECORD BY END OF FIRST YEAR: 'JUST THE BEGINNING' The Trump administration previously announced it closed out fiscal year 2025 with 237,565 Border Patrol apprehensions , the fewest since 1970. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital in October that…