Here’s What To Know About The Trump Administration’s Registration Requirement For Undocumented Migrants

Topline

The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday announced that all undocumented immigrants aged 14 and older will need to register with the federal government or face financial penalties and jail time, in a major expansion of the Trump administration’s push to target and deport undocumented migrants.

Key Facts

The move was announced by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who said she intends to fully implement multiple tools created by the “Immigration and Nationality Act” to “track illegal aliens and compel them to leave the country voluntarily.”

Under this requirement, undocumented migrants in the U.S. who are 14 or older are now required to create a new account on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.

The DHS said it will soon announce a new form and process to complete the registration requirement.

Children under the age of 14 will need to be registered by their parents or guardians.

After completing their registration, they will need to appear for fingerprinting and the DHS will issue them an “evidence of registration” document that all undocumented migrants over the age of 18 “must carry and keep in their possession at all times.”

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Who Needs To Register With The Uscis And When?

According to the DHS, the USCIS account creation requirement went into effect on Tuesday, but the DHS did not provide a timeline on when the registration form will be accessible. People who need to register include “all aliens 14 years of age or older” who were not registered and fingerprinted when applying for a U.S. visa and those “who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer…must apply before the expiration of those 30 days.” Parents and legal guardians of “aliens less than 14 years of age who have not been registered and remain in the United States for 30 days or longer.” And finally, any migrant “whether previously registered or not, who turns 14 years old in the United States, within 30 days after their 14th birthday.” The DHS notes that lawful permanent residents, non-immigrant visa holders, migrants who have been issued an employment authorization document and “aliens paroled into the U.S.” have already been registered.

What Penalties Could Undocumented Individuals Face?

The DHS said the registration is a “legal requirement” and failing to comply with the process will result in criminal and civil penalties, “up to and including misdemeanor prosecution and the payment of fines.” Aside from the failure to register, the DHS said criminal penalties could also be imposed on undocumented individuals who “willfully fail to depart the United States,” or those who “fail to apprise the federal government of changes to their address.” According to the Washington Post, the penalties include up to $1,000 in fines and up to six months jail time.

What Did Kristi Noem Say About The Registration Process?

In an interview with Fox News host Jesse Waters on Tuesday night, Noem said people who comply with this process will be able to avoid criminal charges, and “we will help them relocate right back to their home country.” The DHS Secretary also said compliance will also allow undocumented individuals a chance to “come back someday and to be a part of the American dream.” She added that the system will ensure that all undocumented migrants are forced to go back to their home countries and “when they want to be an American, then they can come and visit us again.”