The Trump administration’s recent decision to enforce a strict mandate on undocumented individuals in the United States to register and carry identification has sparked significant concern among immigrants’ rights groups. These organizations warn that the policy may lead to an increase in racial profiling and fear in the immigrant community, affecting even those with legal residency.
For many, this policy recalls a past period when similar measures forced immigrants into hiding and created public safety challenges as law enforcement agencies demanded documentation. “It happens already to an extent… I think this would make it even worse because how would you know somebody is undocumented?” expressed Jose Patiño of Aliento, an advocacy group for undocumented immigrants based in Arizona. He highlighted the ambiguity and the challenges associated with enforcing this mandate effectively.
Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled in favor of the Trump administration after a legal challenge from immigrants’ rights organizations, and the policy was implemented on April 11. According to U.S. Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, enforcing these long-standing laws is crucial for the country’s safety and security. Under the new requirements, individuals 14 and older who lack legal status must self-register, provide fingerprints, and give their address. Failure to comply is considered a crime, with non-compliance potentially resulting in imprisonment or fines.
Historically, this registration requirement has rarely been enforced, and its imposition now only adds to the confusion stemming from varying immigration laws across federal and state jurisdictions. Recently, some U.S. citizens and temporary residents faced issues such as work permit cancellations. Furthermore, a growing number of states refuse to recognize driver’s licenses specifically issued to undocumented immigrants.
Martín Quezada, an attorney and former lawmaker, shared concerns about potential increases in racial profiling as a result of this mandate. He believes Latinx and other marginalized communities could unify in response to these extreme measures. Guerline Jozef from the Haitian Bridge Alliance detailed how the policy disproportionately affects Black immigrants, complicating travel and check-ins with immigration authorities. She decried it as a form of “psychological warfare,” leaving many immigrants unsure whether they need to always carry documentation.
The mandate is reminiscent of other instances in American history where certain groups were compelled to carry documentation, such as “freedom papers” for freed Black individuals during slavery or registration cards for Japanese Americans during World War II. “The statutes that are on the books about registration have been dormant for 85 years,” explained Lynn Marcus from the University of Arizona. U.S. citizens and residents could now face profiling based on appearances or language barriers, potentially complicating interactions with law enforcement.
Eileen Diaz McConnell from Arizona State University highlighted lasting impacts on immigrants’ mental health due to such documentation laws, referencing a past Arizona law that led to trauma and anxiety within Latino families. Though that law was overturned, while in effect, it created fear of arbitrary arrests, deterring normal activities like driving together or leaving home.
Patiño himself, a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, is familiar with the necessity to carry documentation constantly. Others without his status, such as a single mother known to him, have become increasingly afraid to leave home, avoiding daily activities out of fear. The policy also leaves those who crossed the border undocumented in a difficult position, with fears compounded by news of deportations among those who had valid visas.
“There will be people who will say things like, ‘Well, if you’re not undocumented, what do you have to worry about?’” noted Diaz McConnell. But for the community facing these challenges, the mandate creates anxiety and complex decisions, leaving them with a sense of being caught in a no-win situation. “You’re asking people to come out of the shadows and enroll us in a system that most of them probably have not heard of,” Patiño said, describing a situation fraught with uncertainty.