New Registration Requirement Now in Effect
As of April 11, 2025, a new federal rule requiring all immigrants to register with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went gone into effect. This rule, announced by the Trump administration on February 25 and finalized on March 7, raises serious concerns for immigrant communities. While the government claims this registration process is administrative, officials have openly stated that they intend to use the information provided to locate, arrest, and deport individuals—or pressure them to leave the U.S. voluntarily. Registering could lead to detention, deportation, or criminal charges, while failing to register could also result in criminal penalties and denial of future immigration benefits.
Read the full guide below for detailed information about who is affected, what is required, and how to protect your rights.
Historical Context of Registration Policies
This new registration rule is grounded in a 1940 law once used during World War II and again after 9/11 to target specific communities, including Japanese Americans and Muslim men from majority-Muslim countries. In both cases, registration was used as a tool of mass surveillance and deportation. The current rule similarly aims to collect data on immigrants and use that data for enforcement purposes.
Registration Process
The registration process requires individuals to create an online account with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and submit a new form—Form G-325R—that collects detailed personal information, including current and past addresses, immigration history, biographic data, and information about family members. After submitting the form, individuals age 14 and older must attend a biometrics appointment at a USCIS service center, where fingerprints, photographs, and a signature will be collected. The government has said it will use this information to conduct background checks and may issue a “Proof of Alien Registration” document through the online account. Although there is currently no fee, DHS has indicated it may impose a $30 fingerprinting fee in the future.
Who Is Considered Already Registered?
The government considers many groups of immigrants—including green card holders, refugees, individuals with expired visas or work permits, and those in deportation proceedings—as already registered. Additionally, individuals with DACA, TPS, or asylum status who have received an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or who were granted advance parole, are also considered registered. However, people in these categories who never received an EAD may be required to register. Parents or guardians must register children under 14 who qualify, but those children do not need to attend a biometrics appointment.
Legal Risks of Failing to Register
Failing to register may result in misdemeanor criminal charges, including failure to register, failure to carry proof of registration, or failure to update your address within ten days. These offenses are punishable by fines or short periods of imprisonment. Registering with false information may result in separate criminal charges and also make someone deportable. On the immigration side, many benefits—like visas, green cards, or asylum—are discretionary. That means that failure to comply with registration could be used against someone later as a reason to deny immigration relief.
Legal Risks of Registration
The U.S. government has indicated that it intends to utilize the information provided during registration to target certain immigrants for deportation. Because providing false information on the registration form could cause additional consequences, so it isn’t a good idea to register with false addresses or other false information. Rather, it is important for each person to weigh the risks of registration with the risks of failing to register.
Should I register?
Whether you are required to register, and whether it is safe to do so, will depend on your unique and individual history. The best bet is to speak to an attorney as soon as possible.
What You Should Do Now
We strongly encourage community members to speak with a trusted immigration attorney about this issue. Remember, everyone in the United States, regardless of legal status, still has rights under the Constitution—including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.