The Trump administration notched another legal victory Thursday as a federal judge ruled in favor of enforcing a long-dormant immigration law that requires all noncitizens in the U.S. to register with the federal government and carry identification. The decision immediately reignites a decades-old statute and marks a dramatic shift in how the United States tracks individuals residing in the country illegally.
U.S. District Judge Trevor Neil McFadden, a Trump appointee, dismissed a legal challenge seeking to block the policy, stating that the plaintiffs lacked standing. In doing so, McFadden sidestepped a ruling on the law’s substance, allowing the enforcement to proceed immediately. The ruling goes into effect Friday, putting millions of undocumented immigrants — and even some Canadians — on notice.
The basis for this enforcement lies in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which already requires noncitizens over the age of 14 who remain in the U.S. for more than 30 days to register, provide fingerprints, and report their address. While technically always the law, this requirement had largely fallen into disuse, enforced only in limited situations — notably in the wake of the September 11 attacks under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System.
This week’s ruling, however, moves the law from the books back to the field.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the administration will fully enforce the registration rule, sending a strong message: “Leave now.” In her Thursday statement, Noem emphasized that the administration is done with the era of selective enforcement.
“We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans,” Noem said. “President Trump and I have a clear message for those in our country illegally: leave now.”
The directive covers all individuals in the country without legal status, and includes Canadian “snowbirds” — those who reside in the U.S. for extended periods but lack legal permanent residency. Anyone who has been in the country for more than 30 days must now register, with failure to comply risking fines, imprisonment, or both.
The administration draws historical precedent from earlier enforcement campaigns. After 9/11, a similar registration system targeted specific demographics, ultimately leading to over 13,000 deportation proceedings, even though it didn’t yield terrorism convictions. That program was shuttered by the Obama administration in 2016 — but the underlying law was never repealed.
Trump’s DHS is now reviving it — and widening the net.
By enforcing an existing statute — rather than proposing a new one — the administration has effectively bypassed congressional gridlock and political opposition. McFadden’s decision avoids a constitutional clash, handing the Trump administration the authority to proceed without judicial obstruction for now.
