Mandatory Registration for Undocumented Residents?

Anyone living in the United States illegally will soon have to register with the federal government, according to immigration officials, and those who do not may be subject to fines, jail time, or both.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, announced on Tuesday that all individuals 14 and older without legal status will be required to register.  According to the statement, parents and guardians of anyone under the age of 14 must make sure they are registered, and everyone must register and submit their fingerprints and address. People who are living in the United States unlawfully have long been compelled by federal immigration law to register with the authorities.  These statutes have their roots in the Alien Registration Act of 1940, which was passed in the early stages of World War II as concerns about immigrants and political subversives increased.  The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 is the source of the current regulations. The Homeland Security statement on Tuesday was largely a bureaucratic announcement about the law’s reintroduction and registration procedures. They would “soon announce a form and process for aliens to complete the registration requirement,” according to officials.  The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service said more details on registering will be provided “in the coming days” and encourages visitors to register online.

Source: The Associated Press