The Trump administration has revealed plans to establish a registry for all individuals residing in the United States illegally. According to immigration officials, failure to self-report to this registry could result in fines or prosecution. The Department of Homeland Security has mandated that all undocumented individuals must register, provide fingerprints, and disclose their address, citing a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act as the legal basis for this requirement, which applies to individuals aged 14 and above.
This announcement aligns with the administration's campaign promises to execute mass deportations of undocumented residents and fortify the border against future asylum-seekers. The Department of Homeland Security emphasized that noncompliance with the registration process constitutes a criminal offense that may lead to fines, imprisonment, or both, stating that the enforcement of this law, which has historically been overlooked, will now be rigorously pursued.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is set to develop a registration form and procedure in the near future. President Donald Trump's executive order on inauguration day initially outlined the registry plans and mandated the immediate dissemination of information regarding the legal obligation of previously unregistered aliens to adhere to this requirement.
While the number of undocumented individuals willing to voluntarily disclose their information to the government remains uncertain, failure to register is deemed a criminal act. The administration has indicated that its primary deportation targets are individuals with a history of criminal offenses in the U.S.
The National Immigration Law Center, an advocacy group, highlighted the historical context of the Alien Registration Act of 1940, which was the last comprehensive effort by the U.S. government to compel noncitizens to register. The organization cautioned that the current registry could be exploited to identify and target individuals for detention and deportation, echoing concerns about potential misuse of this information.
