Undocumented Florida Woman Fined $1.82 Million by ICE for 20-Year Overstay
"This is ICE terrorizing individuals without even having to go pick them up," said the woman's attorney, who added that it is the first time she has seen such a high civil penalty imposed
Pedro Camacho Pedro Camacho / Published May 16 2025, 11:26 AM EDT
An undocumented Honduran woman living in Florida has been fined over $1.82 million by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for failing to depart the country following a 2005 removal order.
The fine, issued in a May 9 notice by ICE's civil fines department, charged the woman $500 for each day she remained in the United States since the order was issued, totaling $1,821,350. The woman, a mother of three U.S.-born children, is being represented by immigration attorney Michelle Sanchez, who said this is the first time she has seen such a high civil penalty imposed.
"This is ICE terrorizing individuals without even having to go pick them up," Sanchez told CBS News. "They are terrorizing them by sending these notices where they are fining individuals an exorbitant amount of money that a person sometimes doesn't even make that amount in their lifetime."
The woman's removal order was issued after she missed a court hearing in 2005. Sanchez has filed a motion to reopen the case, citing her client's clean record and eligibility for legal residency due to her long-term presence in the country and her U.S. citizen children. However, ICE declined the request in March, citing lack of prosecutorial discretion guidance from the Trump administration.
https://www.latintimes.com/undocumented-florida-woman-fined-182-million-ice-20-year-overstay-583222
