Judge Allows Trump Administration's Immigrant Registry to Proceed Sparking Outcry from Civil Rights Groups

A federal judge on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to move forward with a controversial new policy requiring undocumented immigrants to register with the federal government — a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from civil rights organizations, immigration advocates, and legal experts.

Photo by Nitish Meena on Unsplash

Under the rule, announced in January as part of Executive Order 14159, all undocumented immigrants aged 14 and older must register through an online portal managed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Registrants are required to provide detailed personal information, including home addresses and biometric data. Those who fail to comply could face fines up to $5,000 or up to six months in jail.

Civil rights groups immediately condemned the policy, warning that it echoes discriminatory practices from America’s past and could lead to widespread fear, profiling, and deportation.

“This policy is a dangerous step toward the mass surveillance and criminalization of immigrant communities,” said Heidi Altman, policy director at the National Immigration Law Center. “It is not about safety. It is about control, intimidation, and exclusion.”

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called the registry “deeply unconstitutional” and warned that the data collected could be used to fuel mass deportation efforts. “Requiring people to self-identify under threat of punishment opens the door to serious abuses of power,” said Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU.

The Trump administration has defended the move, saying it enforces longstanding provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that authorize federal registration requirements. Department of Homeland Security officials argue the policy will improve national security and help track visa overstays and unauthorized entries.

“Individuals residing in the U.S. without legal status must be accountable under the law,” DHS Secretary Chad Wolf said in a statement. “This is not about targeting any group—it is about upholding federal immigration statutes.”

But immigrant advocates say the policy creates an atmosphere of fear, particularly in mixed-status families and communities with longstanding ties to the U.S.

“The chilling effect is real,” said Maria Rodriguez, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition. “People are afraid to go to school, the grocery store, even church. This is the kind of fear-based policy we expect from authoritarian regimes—not a democracy.”

Several advocacy organizations, including United We Dream and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), have pledged to challenge the policy in court, while also urging immigrants to seek legal advice before complying with the registration order.

The judge’s decision Thursday did not rule on the constitutionality of the registry itself but found that the plaintiffs lacked standing to block the policy’s implementation.

As the administration moves forward with the rollout, civil rights attorneys warn the legal battle is just beginning.

“We will fight this in court and in the streets,” said Lorella Praeli, co-president of Community Change. “Our communities are watching, organizing, and resisting.”