The Trump administration has announced the creation of a registry for individuals in the United States illegally, mandating that all undocumented individuals must register, provide fingerprints, and disclose their address or face potential fines or prosecution. This initiative, justified under the Immigration and Nationality Act, applies to individuals aged 14 and older. The administration’s move aligns with its campaign promises of enforcing mass deportations and tightening border security against asylum-seekers.

Individuals failing to register could face legal consequences, including fines, imprisonment, or both, marking a shift from the previous lack of enforcement of this law. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service will establish a registration process and form soon. President Trump’s executive order on immigration outlined the initial plans for this registry, emphasizing the obligation of previously unregistered aliens to comply.

The National Immigration Law Center raised concerns about the registry, drawing parallels to the Alien Registration Act of 1940, which targeted noncitizens for national security reasons. The organization warned that the registry might be used to identify individuals for detention and deportation. The extent of voluntary compliance with this new registration requirement remains uncertain, although the administration has prioritized deporting individuals with criminal records.