U.S. Border Patrol Launches New $5,000 “Apprehension Fee” for Migrants Crossing Illegally
U.S. Border Patrol says it’s charging a $5,000 fee to migrants who enter into the United States illegally.
The "apprehension fee” will apply to anyone 14 or over who is determined to have crossed into the U.S. without authorization and is deemed inadmissible. It applies on top of existing criminal and financial penalties for violating immigration law.
"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," wrote Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks on X.
The apprehension fee was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that President Trump signed into law in July. The law gives the Secretary of Homeland Security the power to adjust the fee over time to keep up with inflation.
Other Immigration-Related Fees Implemented
It’s the latest immigration-related fee implemented by the Trump Administration after passage of OBAAA. The law also authorized new fees for a variety of humanitarian protections including a $100 non-waivable fee for asylum applications with an additional $100 for each year the application is pending. There is also a minimum $250 fee for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a form of humanitarian relief for children.
And in October, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a $1,000 for migrants paroled in the U.S. to "to institute accountability and prevent rampant fraud of the parole system."
This comes as arrests along the southwest border fell to about 7,300 in November, reaching monthly lows not seen since the 1960s.