The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its policies, requiring all immigrants over the age of 14 who were not fingerprinted or registered during their visa application process—and who plan to stay in the country for 30 days or more—to register and undergo fingerprinting.
Mandatory Registration and Fingerprinting
According to the USCIS website, immigrants meeting these criteria must register with the federal government and complete a fingerprinting process. Once registered and fingerprinted, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issues proof of registration. Immigrants aged 18 and over are required to carry this proof with them at all times as a part of their legal documentation.
Trump Administration’s Stance on Illegal Immigration
This move comes amid the Trump administration’s renewed focus on border security and illegal immigration. Upon returning to office, President Donald Trump declared illegal immigration at the Mexican border a national emergency, urging agencies to ensure that all immigrants in the country are properly registered. The administration is keen on enforcing these measures to tighten control over immigration flows.
Changes to Migrant Entry Programs
In addition to the new registration requirements, the Trump administration has targeted the CBP One entry program—a system implemented by the previous Biden administration that allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants to enter the US lawfully by scheduling appointments via an app. The current government is moving to end this program, arguing that stricter measures are necessary to manage border security effectively.
The updated rules and the shift away from previous entry programs signal a significant change in US immigration policy, aiming to enforce tighter controls and ensure that all long-stay immigrants are accounted for through mandatory registration and fingerprinting.