Lawsuit Filed Against Trump Administration Over $5,130 'Inadmissible Alien Apprehension Fee'

A proposed class-action lawsuit filed Monday, August 31, 2026, in Maryland federal court accuses the Trump administration of unlawfully assessing an 'inadmissible alien apprehension fee' of $5,130 on noncitizens as young as 14. Five immigrants seeking permanent legal status sued DHS, ICE, and CBP, alleging the fee was retroactively applied to people who arrived before the One Big Beautiful Bill Act took effect and to those apprehended far from the border. The plaintiffs, represented by The Legal Aid Society, Public Justice, and Brown, Goldstein & Levy, call it the 'fine everyone policy' and allege violations of the Administrative Procedure Act, seeking to represent hundreds or thousands of people.

“fine everyone policy” — Plaintiffs' characterization of the $5,130 fee.