04/02/2025 UFW joins NILC, AIC, and Immigrant Justice Advocates Sue Trump Administration to Block Requirement that Immigrants Register with the Government

Washington D.C - On Cesar Chavez Day, the National Immigration Law Center, American Immigration Council, and partner organizations filed a lawsuit today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., on behalf of the United Farm Workers, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), CASA, and Make the Road New York (MRNY) against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS Secretary Noem, and other government defendants. The lawsuit challenges a rule published earlier this month by the Trump administration, which requires millions of people to register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration with them at all times, or risk federal criminal prosecution.

The American Civil Liberties Union's Immigrants' Rights Project (ACLU-IRP), the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), RFK Human Rights, and CASA are also counsel on the lawsuit.

Just 30 days after publishing a rule with no public input, the government is activating a long-dormant, WWII-era federal law to require non-citizens to register after arriving in the United States. The rule is now creating a universal registration process and establishing an unprecedented requirement that millions of people, including those here legally, carry specific identity papers with them at all times. The administration is also treating violations of this new process as a criminal enforcement priority, meaning that they will aggressively prosecute people for "willful" failure to register or for failing to carry their papers. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has stated explicitly that the rule is meant to incentivize people to "self-deport."

The Department of Homeland Security published the rule without allowing the public to submit comments beforehand, treating it as a "procedural rule" that doesn't impact people's lives or require public input. The lawsuit is arguing the following:

• Because the rule will affect millions of people and their legal rights, it should have been subjected to the notice and public comment requirements that agencies are required to follow.
• The rule is confusingly written and implementing it will cause chaos. There is little clarity about what categories of immigrants will already be counted as officially "registered." For example, those who've received DACA and TPS protections wouldn't count as registered if they don't also have a work permit.
• The online-only registration process will be a barrier to compliance for immigrants unfamiliar with technology who will face prosecution for failing to comply, and/or criminal fraud changes if they mistakenly enter false information.

"We will do everything we can to stop this administration from terrorizing immigrant communities across the country," said UFW President Teresa Romero. "On Cesar Chavez Day, we proudly joined this lawsuit against the Trump Administration to stop them from criminalizing the very act of existing. The unfair, unjust and unlawful demands of this "registry" must not proceed."

"History has shown us the dangers of forcing scapegoated community members to register with the government. Trump's registration rule is ripped right out of the authoritarian playbook, and in the past this road has led to internment and concentration camps. All of us must reject this horrific attempt to criminalize, entrap, and spread more fear and chaos in our neighborhoods. Make no mistake, the Trump administration's registration scheme threatens not only the freedom of immigrants, but our collective freedom - and we will not let history repeat itself," said Nicholas Espíritu, deputy legal director at the National Immigration Law Center.

"This rule is an invitation for widespread abuse. We're talking about a new reality in the United States, in which anyone perceived to be an immigrant would have to carry their identity documents any time they leave the house and be prepared to show them to law enforcement on demand, at risk of being arrested. The United States is not a 'carry your papers' country, and this rule jeopardizes the freedoms and rights of millions of people who live here," said Michelle Lapointe, legal director at the American Immigration Council.

"This process is a mass roundup and an extension of the Trump Administration's fear mongering campaign targeting immigrants who have deep roots in their communities and who contribute to our nation's strength and vitality. This registration process is meant to punish, exclude, and tear families apart and offers nothing in the form of recognition of immigrant contributions such as a pathway to citizenship," said Angelica Salas, Executive Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).

"The Trump registry is a blatant attempt by this administration to expand the immigration enforcement apparatus and tear families apart. The idea of a registry is not new; it has been used by authoritarian governments and throughout U.S. history to pursue a nativist ideology and scapegoat hardworking immigrant families. This registry-should it take effect-would set a dangerous precedent. Normalizing the idea that immigrants should carry registration paperwork everywhere and anywhere will only lead to more discrimination against communities of color and raise the risks of deportation for anyone this administration deems undesirable. Many of our members have bravely come to this country to build a life for themselves and their families. We will continue to stand with them as they push back against these cruel policies," said Natalia Aristizabal, Deputy Director of Make the Road New York.

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