All undocumented individuals are now required to register, provide fingerprints, and submit an address, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This move is justified by a provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act and applies to anyone aged 14 and older.
The initiative fulfills campaign promises aimed at large-scale deportations and reinforcing borders against future asylum seekers. Failure to register is now considered a criminal offense, possibly resulting in fines or imprisonment. For many years, this law had been overlooked, but that leniency has ended.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services intends to roll out a form and process for registration soon. Yet, it’s uncertain how many undocumented individuals will voluntarily come forward, given the potential for deportation.
In one of his initial executive orders on immigration, President Donald Trump outlined the plan for creating such a registry and mandated the DHS to “immediately announce and publicize information regarding the legal requirement for all unregistered aliens in the United States to comply.”
These actions have reignited discussions about the government’s capacity and intent to identify and deport undocumented residents. The National Immigration Law Center notes that the only comparable effort was in 1940, during which non-citizens were required to register at local post offices as part of a broader attempt to identify potential threats to national security, broadly marked as communist or subversive.
Concerns among advocacy groups underscore the fear that the registry might be used to track and target individuals for deportation. The administration’s assurance that initial deportation targets will be those with criminal convictions does little to mitigate the anxiety surrounding this policy shift.
The registry system represents a critical development in US immigration policy, reflecting the administration’s tough stance on undocumented individuals. As the process unfolds, its implications will undoubtedly continue to stir debate and concern among various stakeholders.
