Key points
- Foreign nationals asked to register with government
- New rules came into effect on Friday
- Rules mandatory for Green Card holders too
ISLAMABAD: An executive order issued by US President Donald Trump has declared it mandatory for all foreign nationals living in the US to register with the government and carry documentary proof of their legal status at all times.
According to new rules that came into effect Friday, all aliens aged 18 and above, including those with legal status, have to carry evidence of their registration at all times.
This includes Green Card holders and other categories of non-citizens residing legally in the US.
Fingerprint registration made mandatory for all foreign nationals over the age of 14
Judge rules
“Once an alien has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), DHS will issue evidence of registration, which aliens over the age of 18 must carry and keep in their personal possession at all times,” the USCIS stated in a March 21 alert.
According to the Guardian, a federal judge allowed the Trump administration to move forward with a requirement that noncitizens in the US must register with the federal government, in a move that could have far-reaching repercussions for immigrants across the country.
Simply enforcing law
In a ruling on Thursday, Judge Trevor Neil McFadden sided with the administration, which had argued that they were simply enforcing an already existing requirement for everyone in the country who wasn’t a US citizen to register with the government.
The rule, applicable to all non-citizens — known as aliens — was announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and implemented by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), according to Dawn.
It warned of criminal and civil penalties, including misdemeanor prosecution, fines, or incarceration in case of failure to comply with these requirements.
