What You Need to Know About Trump’s Executive Order on Alien Registration
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed a new executive order called Protecting the American People Against Invasion. This order focuses on immigration and aims to make sure that everyone in the U.S. who isn’t a citizen is properly registered with the government.
In this article, we’ll explain what this executive order may mean for you, how it affects immigrants in the U.S., and what steps you need to take to stay compliant with the law. What is important to remember is that USCIS will be providing more information in the coming days to clarify elements of this new process that remain vague.
What the Executive Order Outlines
The executive order issued by President Trump emphasizes a directive for the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that aliens comply with their obligation to register themselves with the government. This requirement has existed to some degree for many years, but the order makes it clear that compliance will now be treated as a top enforcement priority.
This means that the government will focus on ensuring that individuals who are required to register are doing so properly.
The main aspects of the executive order include:
- Registration Requirement: All non-citizens in the U.S. (whether here temporarily or permanently) are required to register with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This is a long-standing obligation under U.S. law.
- Failure to Comply: The directive emphasizes that failure to comply with the registration requirements is a civil and criminal enforcement priority. This means that if individuals fail to register or update their information, it will be more closely monitored and may result in legal consequences.
- Increased Enforcement: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is directed to ensure strict compliance with the registration requirement, which will involve additional monitoring and enforcement efforts.
What Is Alien Registration and How to Complete It
Alien registration simply means notifying the government about your presence in the U.S. ensuring that the government is aware of your stay in the U.S. It’s an important process for everyone who’s in the U.S. on a non-citizen basis—whether you’re here on a visa, working, or applying for a green card.
Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:
Who needs to register? If you’re a non-citizen in the U.S., this applies to you. That includes people on temporary visas, asylum seekers, and individuals applying for a green card.
- All foreign nationals 14 years of age or older who were not previously registered and fingerprinted when applying for a visa to enter the United States and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer. Such individuals must apply before the expiration of those 30 days.
- Parents and legal guardians of aliens less than 14 years of age who have not been registered and remain in the United States for 30 days or longer, prior to the expiration of those 30 days.
- Any alien, even if previously registered, who turns 14 years old in the United States, within 30 days after their 14th birthday.
- Aliens who are present in the United States without inspection and admission or inspection and parole.
- Canadian visitors who entered the United States at land ports of entry and were not issued evidence of registration.
- Aliens who submitted one or more benefit requests to USCIS not listed in 8 CFR 264.1(a), including applications for DACA or TPS, who were not issued evidence of registration. .
Who is already registered? Foreign nationals who have already registered include:
- Greencard Holders / Lawful Permanent Residents
- Foreign nationals paroled into the United States under 212(d)(5), even if the parole has expired
- Aliens admitted to the United States as nonimmigration who were issued a Form I-94 or I-94W
- Aliens present in the United States who were issued immigrant or nonimmigrant visas prior to arrival
- Aliens whom DHS has placed into removal proceedings
- Aliens issued EAD cards
- Aliens who applied for permanent residency using Forms I-485, I-687, I-691, I-698, I-700, even if the applications were denied
- Aliens issued Border Crossing Cards
How to register: The government has not announced how the registration will be done, but they have noted that the process will be provided through the USCIS online account system where foreign nationals would be required to submit information through a portal. USCIS expects that more information about this system will be announced in the next couple of weeks. In order to prepare for this process, you can review USCIS’ video on how to create a USCIS online account.
For more details on alien registration, visit the USCIS Alien Registration page. Make sure you stay on top of this requirement to avoid any complications in your immigration process and do not hesitate to reach out to Manifest Law if you have any questions
