Judge blocks fines of up to $1.8 million for failure to comply with a deportation order
October 6, 2026
A federal judge in Massachusetts blocked a DHS policy that allowed people with final removal orders to be fined up to $998 for each day they remained in the United States. In some cases, penalties were assessed retroactively for five years and reached approximately $1.8 million.
Since the beginning of the administration's second term, DHS has issued more than 103,000 fines totaling approximately $84 billion. The judge also found unlawful a streamlined collection procedure introduced in 2025 that limited opportunities to challenge the penalties.
Source: Reuters
2. Asylum seekers previously denied under the CLP rule are beginning to win reopened cases
October 6, 2026
Burkina Faso national Celestin Dima was granted asylum after his case was reopened. He had previously been unable to obtain asylum because of the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways (CLP) rule, which restricted asylum eligibility for certain people who crossed the border between official ports of entry.
After a court struck down the CLP rule, attorneys began seeking to reopen affected cases. According to the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, at least nine people previously denied asylum because of CLP have now been granted asylum. The administration is seeking to reinstate the rule through the federal appeals court, so the situation could still change.
Source: Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
3. DHS buys major California ICE detention complex for $950 million
October 5, 2026
GEO Group completed the sale of three facilities in the Adelanto, California complex to the federal government for $950 million. Adelanto West, Adelanto East and the Desert View Annex have a combined capacity of 2,644 beds.
The federal government now owns the complex, but GEO Group will continue providing support services under its existing ICE contract through at least December 2029, with an option extending through 2034. The company also said it is discussing the potential sale of additional company-owned facilities to ICE.
Source: GEO Group
4. ICE re-detains some immigrants in Minnesota immediately after judges order their release
October 5, 2026
MPR News reported several cases in which federal judges granted habeas corpus petitions and ordered immigrants released from detention, only for ICE to detain them again almost immediately. In one case, a man signed his release documents but was arrested again by federal agents before he was able to leave the building.
Several attorneys reported similar cases and plan to challenge the practice. ICE and DHS did not respond to MPR News questions about the immediate re-arrests following federal court release orders.
Source: MPR News
I-GUIDE is an independent information resource and is not affiliated with USCIS, DHS, EOIR, or any other U.S. government agency. This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
