The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has encouraged undocumented individuals to voluntarily leave the United States. According to an official release, individuals who self-deport using the CBP One app will have all civil fines or penalties for failing to depart after receiving a deportation order forgiven.
Under current law, individuals may be fined nearly $1,000 per day for each day they remain in the U.S. after receiving a final deportation order. DHS has already issued over 9,000 such fine notices, totaling nearly $3 billion.
In addition to the forgiveness of fines, those who self-deport via the CBP One app are eligible for a free flight home and a $1,000 stipend, paid after their return is confirmed through the app. DHS emphasizes that self-deportation is the safest and most cost-effective option for undocumented individuals to leave the country, helping them avoid arrest, detention, and the risk of being permanently barred from future legal reentry.
“If you are here illegally, use the CBP One app to take control of your departure and receive financial support to return home,” Secretary Noem urged. “If you don’t, you will be subjected to fines, arrest, deportation, and permanent inadmissibility. If you are in this country illegally, self-deport NOW and preserve your opportunity to potentially return the legal, right way.”
This policy, which imposes fines of up to $998 per day on migrants who fail to leave the U.S. after receiving a final deportation order, could significantly affect over 3,000 Nepali immigrants after August 5, when Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepal is set to end. The policy aims to penalize those who defy deportation orders—a group that includes a considerable number of Nepalis, many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades.
Data from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) shows that over the past 20 years, approximately 3,500 Nepalis have received deportation orders from U.S. immigration courts. Of these, nearly 40 percent—about 1,400—listed New York as their residence at the time of the ruling, according to a TRAC report.
The Nepali community’s vulnerability stems from the expiration of legal protections and ongoing immigration challenges. Of the roughly 3,000 Nepalis still residing in the U.S. despite deportation orders, about 1,500 are currently protected under TPS—a humanitarian program granted after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake—which is set to expire on August 5. The remaining 1,400 live without any form of legal protection.
Recent data from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shows that 1,356 Nepalis with deportation orders issued since June 2015 remain in the country without TPS. These individuals could immediately face steep daily fines, potentially accruing debts of over $1 million over five years, as retroactive penalties are permitted under the 1996 Immigration and Nationality Act.
Geographically, the impact stretches beyond New York. Statistics show that among the 3,500 Nepalis with deportation orders over the past two decades, around 500 resided in California, 350 in Texas, 200 in Maryland, and 150 in Georgia at the time of their court rulings. However, no precise data exists regarding their current whereabouts, as many may have relocated since their hearings.
Of these individuals, approximately 2,200 were never detained, 800 were released after detention, and 550 received deportation orders while in custody—most of whom have likely returned to Nepal, according to TRAC. Legal representation varied significantly: around 2,300 individuals had legal counsel, while 1,200 went through proceedings without a lawyer, which likely weakened their ability to navigate the complex immigration system.
The timing of deportation orders also offers insight. The peak occurred in 2019, when 350 Nepalis received such orders—121 of them residing in New York—reflecting heightened enforcement during the first Trump administration. Over four years, 900 Nepalis were ordered deported.
Under President Biden’s administration, approximately 600 Nepalis have faced deportation orders, with 40 issued in the first three months of the current fiscal year alone, according to the TRAC report. For those affected, the proposed fines pose an existential threat. Many Nepalis work in low-wage jobs where $998 represents a full month’s savings or more.
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Suresh Shahi
View More PostsSuresh Shahi is the editor of NepYork, the showcase of Nepalis in the USA. He has also been an editor of Khasokhas, the voice of the Nepali diaspora in the USA, since 2012. Currently, he hosts the podcast ‘Community Cornerstone.’ Previously, he served as a host, anchor, and news reporter for ABC TV Nepal.
