Apr 10, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Judge green-lights Trump admin's undocumented immigrant registry

Sareen Habeshian

Immigrants prepare to be transported by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on January 20, 2025 near Sasabe, Arizona. Immigrant families had passed through a gap in the Trump-built border wall hours before Donald J. Trump was inaugurated for a second time as President of — Immigrants prepare to be transported by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Jan. 20 near Sasabe, Arizona. Photo: John Moore/Getty Images

The Trump administration can move forward with its plan to require undocumented immigrants to register with the federal government, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

The big picture: The rule, which goes into effect Friday, will require undocumented immigrants age 14 or older to provide their fingerprints or face a fine or even imprisonment.

The plan, first announced in February, marks an escalation of the administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

Driving the news: Judge Trevor Neil McFadden sided with the Trump administration in a lawsuit filed by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

The administration had argued it was enforcing federal immigration law that requires non-citizens to register with the government.
CHIRLA did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment in the evening.

Zoom in: Undocumented immigrants will be required to register and create an USCIS online account, per a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services online page.

The requirement applies to anyone in the U.S. for 30 days or longer.
Once a person has registered and been fingerprinted, DHS will issue "evidence of registration," which immigrants over 18 must carry and keep with them at all times, according to USCIS.

Go deeper: DHS announces undocumented immigrants registry that includes fingerprints

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Judge green-lights Trump admin's undocumented immigrant registry

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