Mexican migrant in SoCal hit with $1.82M fine for living in the US illegally: ‘Leave now or face consequences’
A Southern California woman who has lived in the U.S. for decades and has been seeking legal permanent residency was issued a $1.82 million fine by the Department of Homeland Security for remaining in the country illegally after a 2003 voluntary departure order. Despite having no criminal record and actively pursuing a green card through family ties, her case has been delayed by bureaucratic hurdles, and she only became aware of the order when immigration agents contacted her in 2013. DHS defended the fine as enforcement of immigration law, stating that pending applications do not confer legal status and emphasizing compliance with deportation orders.
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Metro Mexican migrant in SoCal hit with $1.82M fine for living in the US illegally: ‘Leave now or face consequences’ By Nina Joudeh Published April 29, 2026, 6:27 p.m. ET A Southern California woman who has spent 13 years trying to secure legal permanent residency says the Department of Homeland Security hit her with a jaw-dropping $1.82 million fine for living in the US undocumented — despite her years-long effort to do things “the right way.” Fearing for her safety, the woman asked NBC7 to remain anonymous. She described the moment she opened the letter on Friday as utterly terrifying. 7 A Southern California woman who has spent 13 years trying to secure legal permanent residency says the Department of Homeland Security hit her with a jaw-dropping $1.82 million fine.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at California Post.
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