Sierra Leoneans who remain in the United States after an immigration judge has ordered them to leave now face daily civil fines of up to $998, as the Trump administration intensifies financial pressure on unauthorised immigrants to self-deport.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued more than 100,000 such fine notices since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, seeking a combined total of roughly $84 billion.
Officials say more than $1 billion has already been collected through tax refund seizures, wage garnishment, private debt collectors and federal court actions.
The penalty applies to anyone with a final removal order who willfully fails or refuses to depart. Calculated over the maximum five-year period commonly used, individual fines can reach approximately $1.8 million. The legal authority comes from the Immigration and Nationality Act, strengthened by the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act; the daily rate of $998 is the current inflation-adjusted figure.
Although DHS has not released a country-by-country breakdown of the notices, Sierra Leoneans are clearly among those affected. The United States has repeatedly cited Sierra Leone’s elevated visa overstay rates, previously reported at around 15–16% for visitor visas and over 35% for student and exchange visas, and past difficulties accepting back removable nationals. These factors contributed to a full suspension of most visa issuance for Sierra Leonean nationals earlier this year. DHS has also publicly named Sierra Leoneans on lists of individuals facing removal for immigration violations and criminal convictions.
Self-deportation automatically cancels the civil fines. Through the CBP Home mobile app, eligible people can arrange a free or subsidised flight home, receive a cash exit stipend of up to $2,600 after their departure is confirmed, and keep any money they earned while in the United States. The US Embassy in Freetown has promoted the app as a safer, more orderly alternative to arrest and forced removal.
DHS argues the fines are cheaper and less risky for officers than traditional deportation operations. Officials warn that those who ignore removal orders risk sudden arrest with no chance to settle personal affairs, permanent barriers to future legal re-entry, and ongoing collection efforts that can damage credit and seize assets.
For many Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora, the choice is now stark: leave voluntarily through the official channel and avoid mounting daily costs, or face financial ruin and eventual forced return.
Sierra Leonean authorities have urged compatriots living irregularly in the United States to cooperate with repatriation efforts, partly to help ease the current visa restrictions and restore normal travel opportunities for others.
Critics of the policy say it can separate families and pressure people who may still have pending legal claims. The administration maintains the measures simply enforce existing law and encourage people to leave on their own terms.
