Undocumented Immigrant in Florida Faces $1.8 Million Fine for 20-Year Deportation Order Non-Compliance

Immigrant Faces Massive Fine

• 📌 An undocumented immigrant in Florida is facing a staggering $1.8 million fine for failing to leave the U.S. as ordered 20 years ago.
• 💰 The fine is a result of a daily $500 civil penalty for each day she refused to comply with a removal order issued in 2005.

Legal Basis for the Fine

• ⚖️ The penalty is enforced under a regulation within the Immigration and Nationality Act dating back to 1952.
• ⚠️ Historically, this specific law has been rarely enforced until recent policy changes.
• 📄 The Department of Homeland Security announced in February that it would begin enforcing immigration laws without selective application.

Immigrant's Situation and Defense

• 👨‍👩‍👧 The individual is a mother of three U.S. citizen children.
• 🗣️ Her immigration lawyer plans to contest the fine, arguing that her client was never informed of the potential consequences of non-compliance in 2005.
• 📄 The same immigration act also mandates that individuals without legal status register with the U.S. government.