DHS fines Mexican migrant $1.8 million over deportation order

Hector Alessandro Negrete, a Mexican national who grew up in California, has been issued a fine of $1,829,352 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The penalty stems from a 2009 deportation order that Negrete had failed to comply with for over 15 years.

Negrete voluntarily left the United States nine months ago to relocate to Guadalajara, Mexico, seeking to avoid potential confrontations with immigration authorities. However, he later received a notice via his former roommate detailing the multimillion-dollar invoice. Under U.S. immigration law, individuals who do not depart the country following a final removal order can be fined $998 per day.

Reports indicate that since the start of the second Trump administration, more than 100,000 undocumented migrants have received similar fines from the DHS, reportedly generating over $84 billion in revenue. Negrete’s legal team is working to demonstrate that he had already departed the U.S. before the penalties were calculated.