The United States government will hire a private company to locate deported immigrants in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras to collect unpaid immigration fines. U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the plan in a federal contracting solicitation, seeking a firm to track down former residents, notify them of their debts, and manage collection outside the country.
The administration of President Donald Trump intends to hire a company registered in the United States. Under the solicitation, the contractor must provide debtor location services in at least Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala. Once a debtor is located, the firm must inform them of the amount owed and arrange full payment, a payment plan, or another resolution. Payments may be made by the immigrant or by a third party.
To confirm a debtor's identity, the contractor must gather proof such as photos of their home, utility bills, or employment records. If the individual has died, the company must obtain a death certificate. Customs and Border Protection estimates that roughly 66,387 immigrants who were expelled or left the United States voluntarily have unpaid civil fines.
Unpaid Fines and Daily Penalties
In July, the Department of Homeland Security estimated that total unpaid immigration fines stood at about 423 million dollars. The Trump administration reactivated civil fine collections last year for various immigration violations, including failure to comply with a deportation order.
Congress originally set the daily penalty for ignoring a deportation order at 500 dollars under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996. Following inflation adjustments, the daily fine currently stands at 998 dollars. The U.S. government already uses private collection agencies, but those firms have operated exclusively from within American territory.
Expanding Collection Overseas
Customs and Border Protection maintains contracts with three private collection companies to recover fines and fees imposed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Border Patrol. When debtors reside abroad, those agencies attempt contact using letters or phone calls. According to Customs and Border Protection, none of the three companies had successfully located a debtor overseas until last July.
The new contract aims to expand tracking capabilities beyond U.S. borders by placing collectors directly in foreign countries. Customs and Border Protection highlighted that it currently has no contracted debt collection firm operating outside the United States.
