Hector Negrete faces $1.8 million civil penalty for failing to self-deport from the United States
Hector Negrete, a 43-year-old resident of Guadalajara, Mexico, is facing a $1,820,352 civil penalty for failing to comply with a 2009 deportation order. Despite moving to Mexico in September 2025, the Department of Homeland Security issued the fine based on the fact that he did not officially record his departure.
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Negrete lived in the United States for over 15 years as an undocumented immigrant before relocating. The administration announced that illegal immigrants who fail to self-deport after a final removal order are subject to daily fines. While Negrete's legal team provided evidence of his move to Mexico, the government dismissed the initial appeals, requesting further documentation. The Department of Homeland Security has issued fines to more than 100,000 illegal immigrants since the beginning of the second administration. These penalties are intended to push immigrants out of the country. Negrete currently works remotely for a US-based nonprofit and remains concerned that the government could pursue his US-sourced income to settle the debt.