On January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration issued the Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order, reinforcing the legal obligation for certain non-citizens to register with the U.S. government. Failure to comply is treated as a civil and criminal enforcement priority.
Who Must Register?
- All non-citizens 14 years of age or older who were not registered and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a visa to enter the United States and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer must apply before the expiration of those 30 days.
- Parents and legal guardians of non-citizens under 14 years old who have not been registered and remain in the U.S. for 30+ days must ensure registration before the deadline
- Any non-citizen who turns 14 years old while in the U.S. must re-register within 30 days of their birthday
Who Is Exempt?
- Lawful permanent residents
- Non-citizens paroled into the U.S. under INA 212(d)(5), even if the period of parole has expired
- Non-citizens admitted as nonimmigrants who were issued Form I-94 or I-94W (paper or electronic), even if their period of admission has expired
- Non-citizens issued immigrant or nonimmigrant visas before arrival
- Non-citizens placed into removal proceedings by DHS
- Non-citizens issued an employment authorization document
- Non-citizens who applied for lawful permanent residence using Forms I-485, I-687, I-691, I-698, or I-700, even if denied
- Non-citizens issued Border Crossing Cards
If you fall into any of the following categories, you are not registered and must take action to register:
- Non-citizens present in the U.S. without inspection and admission or parole
- Canadian visitors who entered the U.S. at land ports of entry without receiving evidence of registration
- Non-citizens who submitted certain USCIS benefit applications, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS), without receiving evidence of registration
For information on how to register, please visit www.uscis.gov/alienregistration. For any questions related to this new registration requirement, please contact Anna Putintseva at APutintseva@bhlawpllc.com. She can review your specific situation and provide necessary guidance.
Anna Putintseva, Esq.
Anna Putintseva is an experienced business and immigration attorney at Bousquet Holstein PLLC. She maintains a diverse corporate and immigration practice – advising her corporate clients on a variety of business matters, with particular expertise in international ventures and corporate immigration. In addition to her corporate practice, Anna assists individuals obtain U.S. employment and family-based visas.