FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration is releasing a new online government tool designed to help millions of unlawful migrants living in the U.S. comply with a Trump order to register their biometric data with the government and carry documentation at all times.
An online survey launched by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines whether an immigrant, lawful or unlawful, still needs to register under the renewed enforcement of the Alien Registration Act.
The new tool, launched Wednesday, guides users through the requirement with a series of questions and tells them whether they still need to register.
Registration is mandatory for everyone over the age of 14 and without legal status in the U.S., and requires a fingerprint and a home address, per an executive order from President Donald Trump. Some immigrants who are here legally and who did not have to go through the biometric vetting process upon arrival would also need to check their registration. The aim is to require those unlawful immigrants who have not interacted with the government by applying for asylum or a work permit to come forward.
“Tens of thousands” of immigrants have already come forward to register, according to USCIS.
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“As we approach the 100-day mark of President Trump’s presidency, we have already seen tens of thousands of aliens come forward to register – a remarkable feat,” spokesperson Matthew Tragesser told Fox News Digital. “For the first time in years, there is broad recognition that the failure to comply with the law will carry serious consequences. We look forward to many more registrations.”
Once an immigrant has registered and appeared for fingerprinting, DHS will issue evidence of registration, which any alien over the age of 18 must carry at all times.
They can register by filling out the form, G-325R, Biometric Information (Registration).
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If an immigrant fails to register, they could be fined, jailed, deported and unlikely allowed to return to the U.S., the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has warned. Those who fail to carry registration proof could also risk legal ramifications.
The Alien Registration Act of 1940 required all people living in the U.S. who are not citizens, here legally or illegally, to register with the U.S. government. But until Trump’s executive order, the registration requirement for illegal immigrants went unenforced for decades.
Immigrant advocates argue the new requirement puts those here illegally in a bind: do they register and give the government their location, making it easier to find them for deportation, or risk being charged with the crime of not registering.
“The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws – we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce. We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans,” HHS Secretary Kristi Noem said.
Advocates sued against the new rule, but a federal judge earlier this month allowed the Trump administration to move forward with the requirement.
President George W. Bush created a similar immigration registry after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, requiring men and boys from predominantly Muslim countries to submit pictures and fingerprints to the government, and tens of thousands of people were deported from the registry.
