The Trump administration has officially announced the creation of a registry for all individuals living in the United States without legal documentation. Immigration officials declared on Tuesday that all undocumented individuals must register, provide fingerprints, and submit an address. The directive applies to anyone age 14 and older, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
The initiative is grounded in a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which the administration cites as justification for this comprehensive registration process. Officials warned that those who fail to self-report could face fines or prosecution.
This announcement falls in lock step with the administration’s campaign promise of mass deportations and enhanced border security. The Department of Homeland Security stated that the failure to register will now be treated with major legal consequences. “For decades, this law has been ignored — not anymore,” the statement declared.
In conjunction with the registry, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is expected to release a form and process detailing how individuals can register.
This initiative traces its roots back to one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders on his inauguration day, which set forth plans for a registry aimed at undocumented immigrants. Questions remain about the number of individuals who would voluntarily come forward to disclose their information to the government, given the risks involved, particularly for those with previous criminal records, who are identified as the administration’s primary target for deportation.
The National Immigration Law Center, an organization advocating for immigrant rights, cautioned against the registry, drawing parallels to the Alien Registration Act of 1940. They noted that the previous registration process aimed to identify “potential national security threats” and warned that the current initiative could similarly be used to target undocumented individuals for deportation.
“The registry is meant to help find potential targets for deportation,” the group stated, reflecting concerns that the administration’s registration effort is yet another step in its drive to increase immigration enforcement actions.
