Illegal immigrants in the U.S. must register, judge rules

Federal judge Trevor Neil McFadden on Thursday ruled that the Trump administration could go ahead and require all illegal immigrants to register and carry documentation. The requirement became effective on Friday. The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and other co-plaintiffs had sought a stay and injunction pausing enforcement of the rule.

McFadden’s opinion focused on the plaintiffs’ lack of standing. He said the plaintiffs could not prove their arguments that the registration rule significantly harmed their operations as well as illegal immigrants’ speech rights.

What does the rule require? Illegal immigrants must register their addresses and fingerprints and must carry documentation showing that they’ve registered. The rule also applies to Canadian snowbirds and other visitors who stay in the United States for more than 30 days without a visa. People who fail to register can be convicted of a criminal misdemeanor and face up to a $5000 fine and 30 days in prison. Failure to fill out a change-of-address form within 10 days of moving is punishable by deportation.

Is a registration requirement new? The Alien Registration Act of 1940 first introduced similar rules. The most recent requirement bases its authority on the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, according to the Associated Press. However the registration rules have rarely been enforced, especially on illegal immigrants and Canadians.

What other court decision related to immigration happened on Thursday? The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the United States must facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The government has admitted to wrongfully deporting the immigrant from Maryland to El Salvador. The Supreme Court did not set a deadline for Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States and sent the case back to a district court for clarification on what the government should do.

Dig deeper: Read my report on the details of Abrego Garcia’s case.