Clinton‑appointed judge blocks Trump immigration fines for two migrants

U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, issued a ruling on July 10, 2026 that halted the Department of Homeland Security’s effort to collect civil immigration fines from two undocumented migrants.

The order, granted in the case Maria L. v. Noem, stops the government from enforcing penalties that have generated more than $84 billion in fines against about 103,000 migrants since the Trump administration resumed the policy in early 2025. By staying collection, the judge protected the plaintiffs from wage garnishment, asset seizure and other collateral consequences.

Maria L., a nail technician, faced a fine in the hundreds of thousands that she says has caused severe anxiety, depression and a month of missed work. Nancy M., a laborer working more than 60 hours a week at two jobs, was assessed a fine of over $1.8 million, which she describes as threatening her ability to sleep, eat and live a normal life.

The plaintiffs here face assessment and possible collection of enormous fines well beyond their capacity to pay,

Judge O’Toole further noted that the plaintiffs “live in an economically precarious position even without the imposition of the government’s exorbitant fines,” arguing that the DHS rule violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to provide specific allegations for each penalty.

The judge also found that the DHS rule‑making process was unlawful because the agency did not offer the public an opportunity to comment before implementing the streamlined fine‑assessment procedure introduced in July 2025.

Federal officials have defended the fines, saying they are intended to incentivize self‑deportation by imposing up to $998 per day for individuals who ignore final removal orders. Congress originally authorized civil penalties under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, but no prior administration had pursued fines of this magnitude.

While the ruling provides immediate relief to the two plaintiffs, the decision is likely to be appealed, and it raises questions about the future of the $84 billion fine program and its impact on millions of undocumented residents across the United States.