Alien Registration Requirement

On Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump issued the Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order which directed the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that aliens comply with their duty to register with the government under section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1302), and ensure that failure to comply is treated as a civil and criminal enforcement priority.

The INA requires that, with limited exceptions, all immigrants 14 years of age or older who were not fingerprinted or registered when applying for a U.S. visa and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer, must apply for registration and fingerprinting. Similarly, parents and guardians must ensure that their children below the age of 14 are registered. Within 30 days of reaching his or her 14th birthday, the previously registered alien child must apply for re-registration and to be fingerprinted.

Once an immigrant has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), DHS will issue evidence of registration, which aliens over the age of 18 must carry and keep in their possession at all times.

Failure to comply will result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor pros