US hires private firms to locate deported migrants in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras for unpaid fines

CBP immigration fines Mexico Guatemala Honduras

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a federal procurement solicitation seeking a U.S.-registered private company that can locate migrants who were deported from, or voluntarily left, the United States and now reside in Mexico, Guatemala or Honduras. The contractor would be required to verify each person’s identity with evidence such as photographs, utility bills, employment records or death certificates, notify them of the debt and arrange payment, either in full, in installments or through another authorized method.

CBP estimates that 66,387 such migrants have outstanding civil immigration fines, amounting to roughly $423 million. Daily penalties can reach $998 per person, up from the $500 rate set in 1996. The Trump administration re‑activated the collection of these fines and plans to expand the effort beyond the three existing private firms that currently operate only inside the United States.

A Wired report adds that the program, dubbed “Location and Payment Recovery Services,” may involve bounty‑hunter‑style contractors and is budgeted at up to $9 million over two years.

Entities

Department of Homeland Security · Department of Homeland Security (DHS) · Donald Trump · Guatemala · Honduras · Mexico · U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) · United States Customs and Border Protection

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] A Wired report says the program may involve bounty hunters and is budgeted at up to $9 million over two years. www.elfinanciero.com.mx
[● 10 SOURCES] Existing private contractors for fine collection currently operate only within the United States. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more
[● 10 SOURCES] CBP issued a federal procurement solicitation to hire a U.S.-registered private company to locate deported migrants in Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more
[● 10 SOURCES] Daily fines can reach $998 per person, up from $500 set in 1996. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more
[● 10 SOURCES] The total value of unpaid fines is about $423 million. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more
[● 10 SOURCES] The hired company must verify each debtor’s identity using documents such as photos, utility bills, employment records or death certificates. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more
[● 10 SOURCES] Approximately 66,387 deported or voluntarily left migrants have outstanding civil immigration fines. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more
[● 10 SOURCES] The Trump administration reactivated the collection of civil immigration fines. rpp.pe · www.calibre800.com · diaadianews.com · eltecolote.mx · lan103fm.com · +5 more