Trump Administration Mandates Registry for Undocumented Immigrants

The Department of Homeland Security will enforce a decades-old law requiring undocumented migrants to register their fingerprints and personal details or face fines and imprisonment.

The new policy, based on the Immigration and Nationality Act, requires undocumented immigrants aged 14 and older to register with the federal government within 30 days of arriving in the U.S. illegally.
Failure to comply with the registration mandate could result in fines of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both, according to DHS officials.
The registry aims to encourage self-deportation by offering registered individuals assistance in returning to their home countries, with the possibility of legal reentry in the future.
Critics, including immigration advocacy groups, warn the registry could lead to racial profiling, civil rights violations, and increased fear among immigrant communities.
The policy revives enforcement of a law historically used for controversial registries, such as targeting immigrants from Muslim-majority countries after 9/11, and is expected to face legal and logistical challenges.