In a major victory for immigrant communities nationwide, a Court has granted preliminary relief to immigrants challenging the Trump Administration’s unprecedented civil penalty scheme, which sought to impose fines of up to $998 per day — often totaling nearly $1.8 million per person — against immigrants pursuing lawful immigration relief.

The ruling comes as the result of a lawsuit, brought by The Legal Aid Society and its partners, challenging a policy affecting more than 100,000 people nationwide who have been issued more than $84 billion in civil penalties since January 2025.

Early last year, the Trump Administration revived a long-dormant provision of immigration law to issue fines of up to $998 per day against immigrants who remained in the United States while pursuing lawful avenues to stay, including adjustment of status and other forms of immigration relief, and complying with ICE orders of supervision.

“This ruling is a critical victory for immigrant families who were unlawfully threatened with financial ruin,” said Hasan Shafiqullah, Supervising Attorney in the Civil Law Reform Unit at Legal Aid. “These fines are being assessed against people doing exactly what the law requires — seeking lawful immigration relief and complying with immigration authorities. The court correctly recognized that the government cannot impose devastating financial penalties in violation of the law.”