Illegal Immigration Cost Recovery Act

Key Points

• This bill would significantly raise the fines for people who enter the United States without permission. For a first offense, the fine would jump from a range of $50 to $250 up to a new range of $200 to $1,000.
• Businesses that knowingly hire people who are not allowed to work in the U.S. would face much higher costs. Fines for a first-time violation would start at $1,432 and could go as high as $11,448 for each worker.
• People who have been ordered to leave the country but refuse to go would see their fines nearly quadruple. The current fine of $500 would increase to $1,996 under this plan.
• All of these fines would be adjusted for inflation every year starting in 2027. This ensures that the penalties keep up with the rising cost of living and maintain their impact over time.
• The goal of the bill is to discourage illegal immigration and hold employers accountable for their hiring practices. It aims to recover some of the costs associated with managing the border and immigration system.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.