On Tuesday, the Trump administration announced a plan. It wants undocumented immigrants aged 14 or older in the US to register with the U.S. government and give their fingerprints. If they don’t, they could face criminal charges.
The Department of Homeland Security made this announcement. It shows a big increase in the Trump administration’s efforts to get millions of illegal immigrants to leave the country on their own.
Administration officials have often asked these immigrants to go. Now, they’re adding a hidden threat.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the department, said in a statement, “President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for those in our country illegally: Leave now. If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream.” Secretary Noem is the Homeland Security Secretary.
In a Fox News interview on Tuesday, Ms. Noem said the migrant registry plan was part of trying to “use every single tool we have to do what President Trump promised the American people.”
Immigrants who don’t register could face criminal or civil punishments, like fines. But it’s not likely that many will follow this new rule.
Illegal immigrants probably won’t come forward to register with the government. This is especially true because Mr. Trump has threatened mass deportations. The administration also doesn’t know where many unauthorized immigrants are. So, it will be hard to prosecute them if they don’t register.
Still, this move shows that the Trump administration wants to use all available resources to make a harsh environment for immigrants. They hope immigrants will leave the US voluntarily.
Cris Ramón, a senior immigration adviser for UnidosUS (a civil rights organization), said, “We’re seeing an effort to expand arrests by any means. So, this new rule likely aims to give more reasons to arrest and deport more people from the country. It also makes things more confusing for undocumented people. It increases the fear that has been scaring them and their families since late January.”
The new plan will use an existing immigration law. But this law hasn’t usually been enforced. Just before the US entered World War II, the U.S. passed a law. It required undocumented immigrants to register with the U.S. government at their local post office.
The department said the registration rule doesn’t apply to people with green cards, those already in deportation proceedings, or those who entered the country with visas. But parents of undocumented immigrants younger than 14 must register their children.
The requirement came from the many executive orders issued on the first day of the Trump administration. Jon Feere, the current chief of staff of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has also said before that the registration requirements should be enforced.
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