The Trump administration has announced plans for establishing a national registry for individuals residing illegally in the United States, as revealed by immigration officials on Tuesday. Those who do not voluntarily report their status face potential fines or legal action. The Department of Homeland Security’s statement emphasized the requirement for undocumented individuals to register, providing fingerprints and a current address. This initiative invokes the Immigration and Nationality Act as its legal basis, mandating compliance for individuals aged 14 and above.
This development aligns with broader administration objectives to deliver on campaign promises aimed at executing widespread deportations of undocumented residents and preventing future asylum seekers from crossing U.S. borders. The statement starkly warned that “an alien’s failure to register is a crime that could result in a fine, imprisonment, or both.” It also noted the longstanding disregard of this law, signaling a stricter enforcement policy moving forward.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is set to develop a specific form and process for registration, according to information shared on its platform. President Donald Trump had previously detailed the formation of a registry in his series of executive orders addressing immigration policies on his inauguration day, instructing Homeland Security to promptly inform about “the legal obligation of all previously unregistered aliens in the United States to comply.”
Although the precise number of undocumented individuals who might choose to register voluntarily remains uncertain, noncompliance will be deemed criminal, the administration’s initial efforts on deportations are to focus on individuals with criminal histories in the U.S. Meanwhile, the National Immigration Law Center, which advocates for immigrant rights, noted prior to the announcement that a comprehensive federal drive requiring noncitizen registration was last seen with the Alien Registration Act of 1940. Historically, this act aimed to identify potential national security threats, broadly identified as subversives or communists, with people registering at local post offices.
The advocacy group highlighted concerns that the new registry intends to pinpoint targets for increased detention and deportation efforts. They cautioned that the registry could be leveraged by the Trump administration to systematically identify noncitizens for deportation who were previously unable to register.
