US President Donald TrumpFile photo: Reuters
Illegal immigrants living in the United States who do not register with the federal government could face significant fines, possible prison time or both, according to a directive issued by the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday.
A Homeland Security spokesman said, “The Trump administration will enforce all immigration laws. We will not enforce any law selectively. For the safety and security of our homeland and all American citizens, we must know who is in our country.”
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website, all immigrants over the age of 14 who did not register or have their fingerprints taken when applying for a US visa and who are in the United States for 30 days or more must register and have their fingerprints taken.
According to the website, when an immigrant registers and has their fingerprints taken, the Department of Homeland Security will provide proof of registration. Immigrants over the age of 18 must carry this proof with them at all times.
President Donald Trump, who returned to power for his second term last month, declared a national emergency to stem illegal immigration across the Mexican border. He also ordered the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that immigrants are registered with the federal government.
Donald Trump’s administration is trying to end the CBP One Entry program, which was run by the previous Biden administration and allowed millions of immigrants to enter the United States legally.
