The cost of immigration enforcement for taxpayers is well known. The Department of Homeland Security’s fiscal 2027 budget request totaled more than $118 billion, including funding for border security and immigration enforcement.
But far less visible is the private cost borne by immigrants and their families once someone is placed in removal proceedings.
In 2026, the cost of fighting deportation can run thousands of dollars. A review of government fees and estimated attorney costs revealed that in Arizona, the total cost of fighting deportation ranged from approximately $25,000 to more than $50,000.
Lawyers across Arizona charge anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 for legal representation during removal proceedings alone.
Tucson-based immigration attorney Siovhan Ayala sees firsthand how these costs burden immigrants and their families.
“You know, they are trying to pay an attorney and they don't have a job. So, I mean that's the problem or they're in detention and they can't work. And so, they have to rely on family members a lot of times,” Ayala said.
Ayala said most families struggle to come up with the money right away. She says there are additional costs for asylum and bond hearings.
“It'll be the primary breadwinner who is detained and the homemaker who doesn't work is the one that's out of detention. It's very difficult,” Ayala said.
Mo Goldman, as immigration lawyer, said these high costs lead to many detainees going unrepresented.
“The lack of understanding from most respondents, the people who are in the proceedings, is something that can be very problematic because they don't have the access to counsel," Goldman said.
Goldman said since immigration court is a civil matter, detainees are not given a government-appointed attorney.
Detainees who choose not to fight their case and instead opt for voluntary departure still have to pay for their own plane ticket to their country of origin.
This story was a part of an investigation for the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University.
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Mexico will request criminal charges over 17 Mexicans who died in ICE custody or during immigration enforcement operations by the Trump administration, officials said Thursday. -
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Surprise residents who were angry about the federal government turning a local warehouse into an immigration detention center can take a sigh of relief this week. -
ICE secured private office space, which did not require local approval. ICE told the city the purpose of the office is to expand enforcement efforts across the state, according to a statement from the city.
