The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization representing more than 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, has warned that the Trump administration’s Executive Order on national registration will force Caribbean and other immigrants into the shadow.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that most individuals over 14 years old living in the United States without immigration status will need to register with USCIS – if they are not already registered with them – and provide their fingerprints and address.
NYIC said on Tuesday that individuals would need to carry proof of this registration.
It said that not registering or failing to carry proof of registration would be a criminal offense that could lead to detention and deportation.
“At a time when trust in the federal government is plummeting among immigrant communities, the Trump administration is making plans to obtain millions of people’s personal information and requiring them to carry papers,” NYIC’s President and CEO Murad Awawdeh told Caribbean Life.
“Trump’s registry will create the conditions for mass roundups and racial profiling of both citizens and noncitizens,” he warned. “We want to be clear to community members that are worried about Trump’s registry: as of now, this registry does not exist. This is a developing situation, and we urge people to consult with a trusted legal representative before creating an account with the USCIS or submitting any forms or information.
“The Trump registry is another example of this administration taking unclear actions in hopes of creating fear and uncertainty in our communities,” Awawdeh added. “But if and when this program is unveiled, there will be a heightened threat of criminal prosecution for failure to register or failure to carry evidence of registration, giving Trump another tool for mass deportations and detentions without a pathway to lawful status.
“This will hurt public safety for all of us, as people will be forced further into the shadows and trust for public institutions will erode,” he continued.
USCIS noted that, on Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump issued the Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order, which directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that immigrants comply with their duty to register with the government under section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1302), and ensure that “failure to comply is treated as a civil and criminal enforcement priority.”
USCIS said the INA requires that, with limited exceptions, all immigrants 14 years or older who were not fingerprinted or registered when applying for a US visa and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer must apply for registration and fingerprinting.
Similarly, USCIS said parents and guardians must ensure their children below 14 are registered.
“Within 30 days of reaching his or her 14th birthday, the previously registered alien (immigrant) child must apply for re-registration and to be fingerprinted,” USCIS said.
It said that once an immigrant has registered and appeared for fingerprinting (unless waived), USCIS said DHS will issue evidence of registration, which immigrants over 18 must carry and keep at all times.
“It is the legal obligation of all unregistered aliens (or previously registered children who turn 14 years old) in the United States to comply with these requirements,” USCIS said. “Failure to comply will result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor prosecution and the payment of fines.”
USCIS said that while most immigrants in the United States have already registered, as required by law, “a significant number of aliens present in the United States have had no direct way in which to register and meet their obligation under INA 262.”
USCIS is establishing a new registration form and process so that unregistered immigrants may comply with their duty under INA 262.
“No alien will have an excuse for failure to comply with this law,” it said. “Registration is not an immigration status, and registration documentation does not establish employment authorization or any other right or benefit under the INA or any other US law.”
NYIC also warned that, according to reports, some healthcare providers in New York City are denying care to individuals who do not prove they are citizens or have social security numbers.
Awawdeh said Federally Qualified Health Centers are mandated to provide healthcare to underserved communities, regardless of their ability to pay, “which often serves as a safety net for under-documented and mixed-status families.”
He said that last week, Trump issued “a vague and legally obtuse executive order aimed to limit undocumented immigrants’ access to social services and other government assistance.
“This executive order is another attempt to instill fear in service providers and immigrant communities alike, and designed to discourage immigrant families from accessing the essential services they need,” Awawdeh said. “All New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status, deserve access to medical services when they are in need. Access to healthcare is not only morally correct, it is essential to strengthening our public health.
“However, with every half-baked Executive Order from the Trump administration, the rights of individuals and communities around the country are being impeded upon,” he added. “Federally-funded healthcare programs have a mission to promote healthy communities and healthy child development by serving every resident.
“Excluding certain people from this care will hurt every New Yorker and create a chilling effect for providers and recipients alike,” he continued.
“Let us be clear to all healthcare providers operating in New York State: you must treat every person who needs care,” Awawdeh said. “Any ‘healthcare’ institution that turns its backs on its mission to care for all has made the wrong choice, but it is not too late to correct this mistake and fulfill its mandate to serve the people of New York City.”
