Civil Monetary Penalty Adjustments for Inflation

In this final rule, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) is making the 2018 annual inflation adjustment to its civil monetary penalties. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Act) was signed into law on November 2, 2015. Pursuant to the 2015 Act, all agencies must adjust civil monetary penalties annually and publish the adjustment in the Federal Register. Accordingly, this final rule adjusts DHS's civil monetary penalties for 2018 pursuant to the 2015 Act and OMB guidance. The new penalties will be effective for penalties assessed after April 2, 2018 whose associated violations occurred after November 2, 2015.