DHS Secretary Mullin Ratifies Every Final ICE Civil Fine Issued Under the 2025 Interim Rule, "Out of an Abundance of Caution"

In a Federal Register notice issued October 26, 2026 and signed by Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the Department of Homeland Security ratified all final civil penalty decisions issued under the procedures at 8 CFR part 281 from June 27, 2025, through October 13, 2026. Those procedures came from an interim final rule that DHS and EOIR published on June 27, 2025, governing fines assessed under 8 U.S.C. 1324d(a)(1), 1229c(d), and 1325(b); the agencies adopted a Final Rule on October 14, 2026. Penalties reversed on appeal, pending appeal, or reopened and rescinded are excluded.

DHS says it is ratifying “out of an abundance of caution” and that the ratification “is not a statement that the fines covered by this ratification would have been invalid absent this ratification.” The notice does not say what prompted it or how many fines it covers. A person fined under the interim rules who claims prejudice may raise that claim with ICE, a process DHS says “is not an additional appeal mechanism”; claims must reach ICE by November 16, 2026.