US to end legal stay of 900k migrants; Rs 85,500 daily fine for overstaying

Do not attempt to remain in the United States - the federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately, says US Department of Homeland Security

The Trump administration has begun revoking legal status for hundreds of thousands of migrants who entered the US under the Biden-era CBP One app. Those affected are receiving official notices from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), instructing them to leave the country immediately or face prosecution, fines, and removal.

 

The DHS notice, dated April 6, 2025, is blunt.

 

“It is time for you to leave the United States"

 

The email goes on to say:

 

“You are currently here because the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) paroled you into the United States for a limited period. Pursuant to 8 U.S.C. § 1182(d)(5)(A) and 8 C.F.R. § 212.5(e), DHS is now exercising its discretion to terminate your parole immediately.”

 

“If you do not depart the United States immediately you will be subject to potential law enforcement actions that will result in your removal… Any benefits you receive… such as work authorization — will also terminate.”

 

“You will be subject to potential criminal prosecution, civil fines, and penalties, and any other lawful options available to the federal government.”

 

Migrants are being told they may use the new CBP Home app to make travel arrangements. If travelling by land, they are instructed to report their departure through the app. The notice continues:

 

“Do not attempt to remain in the United States – the federal government will find you. Please depart the United States immediately.”

 

Kathleen Bush-Joseph, an immigration attorney at the Migration Policy Institute, wrote on X: “Migrants who came into the US via the CBP One app are receiving parole termination notices & being told to leave immediately. 900k+ people entered this way under the Biden admin.”

 

The administration is also preparing to impose $998 daily fines on anyone who refuses to comply with a deportation order. A DHS official told Reuters the fines could be applied retroactively for up to five years. If not paid, the government may seize assets from the individuals involved.

 

CBP One replaced by CBP Home

 

CBP One, launched under Biden to allow migrants to schedule appointments at legal ports of entry, was shut down in January when Trump returned to office. The replacement, CBP Home, launched last month and now includes a function for self-deportation.

 

“Canceling these paroles is a promise kept to the American people to secure our borders and protect national security,” DHS stated.

 

Migrants who do not leave voluntarily may be permanently banned from reentry, according to the administration.

 

Last month, Tom Homan, serving as Trump’s border czar, said, "“If you are in this country illegally go home. Come back the right way. Do what’s right. Go home.”

 

He warned that migrants who fail to report to authorities will be located and prosecuted.

 

$200 million campaign to push voluntary exits

 

The deportation push is part of a broader campaign called “Stay Out and Leave Now”, which has a $200 million budget. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem appeared in an advert for the campaign, saying, “President Trump has a clear message: if you are here illegally, we will find you and deport you. You will never return. But if you leave now, you may have an opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream.”

 

She claimed illegal border crossings have dropped 95% since January, with more than 32,000 arrests made by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement this year.

 

Rajani Srinivasan, an Indian doctoral student at Columbia University, was among the first to be affected. Her visa was revoked after Homeland Security linked her to “advocating for violence and terrorism” and accused her of supporting Hamas. She used the new CBP Home app to leave the country.