Trump’s Migrant Registry Starts Today
House Democrats call for the rule to be rescinded, warning of racial profiling and legal overreach as DHS implements the directive nationwide.
WASHINGTON — A controversial rule requiring undocumented migrants to register with the federal government and submit biometric data takes effect Friday, triggering swift condemnation from House Democrats led by Reps. Delia Ramirez of Illinois and Adriano Espaillat of New York.
In a letter sent Thursday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Acting Director Kika Scott, Ramirez, Espaillat, and 29 other lawmakers blasted the policy as unconstitutional and racially discriminatory, warning it would “create essentially a nation-wide ‘show-me-your-papers’ regime.”
The interim final rule (IFR), first published March 12, invokes the Alien Registration Act of 1940 to require noncitizens age 14 and older who remain in the United States for more than 30 days — and who have not otherwise begun formal immigration processes — to register with the government and be fingerprinted. Failure to comply could result in criminal penalties.
“The rule, as written, raises serious constitutional concerns, fails to adequately address privacy protections, and does not seriously consider the costs imposed on federal, state, and local governments,” the lawmakers wrote.
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The policy’s rollout has drawn legitimate comparisons to Arizona’s SB 1070, widely criticized for fueling racial profiling before it was largely dismantled through court settlements.
The letter argues that the IFR’s enforcement will similarly rely on national origin and appearance, leading to wrongful arrests and detentions of both undocumented immigrants and U.S. citizens.
Ramirez, who comes from a mixed-status family and whose husband was undocumented until recently, has become one of the most vocal immigration advocates in Congress. Her lived experience has informed her legislative push against policies that criminalize immigrant presence.
Espaillat, the first formerly undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress and chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Their letter asserts that the U.S. effectively abandoned universal noncitizen registration more than 70 years ago and that reviving it undermines constitutional protections.
The lawmakers also criticized the administration’s procedural shortcut — issuing the rule without a full public comment period — and urged DHS to withdraw the policy. “This IFR will… lead to racial profiling, wrongful arrests and detention of U.S. citizens and other individuals with lawful status,” it says, citing case studies and legal analyses.
The new rule is expected to directly affect 2 to 3 million undocumented immigrants, though the letter argues the broader impact could touch tens of millions in immigrant communities through increased fear, anxiety, and reduced participation in civic and economic life.
The signatories include members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Progressive Caucus, such as Reps. Joaquin Castro, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jesús “Chuy” García, Lateefah Simon, Nanette Barragán, Greg Casar, Yvette Clark, Rob Menendez, Ro Khanna, Summer Lee, Lou Correa, Teresa Leger Fernandez, Sam Liccardo, Jim McGovern, Gil Cisneros, Sylvia Rodriguez, Robert Garcia, and Luz Rivas.
The signatories are calling on the Department of Homeland Security to rescind it immediately and is vowing to pursue legislative guardrails to prevent similar policies in the future.
READ THE FULL LETTER HERE
