Trump Administration to Launch Registry for Undocumented Immigrants

The Trump administration has announced the creation of a national registry for all undocumented immigrants in the United States, warning that those who fail to self-report could face fines or prosecution.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that all non-citizens living in the U.S. illegally must register, provide fingerprints, and submit their address. The administration cited provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act as the legal foundation for this mandate, which applies to individuals 14 years and older.

This latest move aligns with President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to crack down on illegal immigration, initiate mass deportations, and restrict future asylum seekers.

“An alien’s failure to register is a crime that could result in a fine, imprisonment, or both,” the DHS statement read. “For decades, this law has been ignored — not anymore.”

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has been tasked with developing an official registration process and form, though details on implementation remain unclear.

It is uncertain how many undocumented immigrants will voluntarily register, given concerns about the government using the data for deportation purposes. The Trump administration has maintained that its primary deportation targets will be individuals with criminal records, but advocacy groups remain skeptical.

The National Immigration Law Center (NILC), a pro-immigration advocacy group, compared the registry to the Alien Registration Act of 1940, a controversial law used to monitor individuals deemed potential threats, including suspected communists and subversives.

“Any attempt by the Trump administration to create a registration process for non-citizens previously unable to register would be used to identify and target people for detention and deportation,” the NILC warned in a statement.

With no immediate timeline for the registry’s rollout, questions remain about how the government will enforce the mandate and whether legal challenges will arise. Critics argue that the initiative could lead to widespread fear and reluctance among immigrants, while supporters say it is a necessary step toward strengthening border security and immigration enforcement.

As the administration moves forward with its tougher immigration policies, legal and humanitarian groups are expected to push back, setting the stage for further debate over the future of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.