Padilla, Colleagues Slam Draconian Immigration Registration Order

Padilla, Colleagues Slam Draconian Immigration Registration Order WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and eight Senate colleagues expressed strong disapproval of the Trump Administration’s resurrection of one of the country’s most draconian and discriminatory immigration policies: forcing immigrants to register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration at all times. The Senators urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) leadership to reverse this harmful practice and demanded answers on how the program would be implemented. “The Administration has explicitly linked this revived registration requirement to enforcement efforts, empowering federal prosecutors to target immigrants who fail to comply,” wrote the Senators. “This creates a perilous dilemma for immigrants who entered the country without inspection and have had no prior contact with federal authorities. Those who register risk exposing themselves to removal proceedings, while those who refrain from registering face the threat of criminal prosecution. The policy further jeopardizes millions of immigrants—including those with lawful status—by subjecting them to penalties for simply failing to carry proof of registration.” “This registration policy echoes historical precedents that have been widely discredited and condemned. The Alien Registration Act of 1940 was initially implemented during World War II in a climate of fear and xenophobia, requiring noncitizens to register at post offices across the country,” continued the Senators. “Now, by dusting off and weaponizing an outdated law, the Trump administration is reviving a dangerous precedent that will undermine fundamental civil liberties, disproportionately burden immigrant communities and millions of mixed-status families, and transform America into a ‘carry your papers’ country.” The letter, led by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), was also signed by Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The lawmakers demanded answers to questions about the implementation of this draconian plan including: How does USCIS plan to implement this registration requirement, and what resources will be allocated to its implementation and enforcement? What mechanisms will be in place to ensure that individuals who register are not automatically placed in removal proceedings or expedited removal? What safeguards exist to prevent racial profiling and discriminatory enforcement practices in the application of this law? Who will have access to any registration database and for what purposes? Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Last week, Senators Padilla, Durbin, Booker, and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) issued a joint statement slamming President Trump for his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 , wartime law, to deport noncitizens without due process. Padilla also joined other Democratic immigration leaders in challenging the constitutional basis of President Trump’s sham “invasion” proclamation , which the President believes would allow his Administration to circumvent federal immigration law and due process. Padilla also sharply criticized Trump’s harmful executive orders targeting immigrants at the start of his second Administration. Additionally, last week, Padilla condemned President Trump’s revival of family detention policies and urged him to reject the harmful practice. In February, Padilla denounced Trump’s transfer of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay as unlawful and demanded answers regarding these transfers. He also condemned the Trump Administration’s intended use of Bureau of Prisons facilities to detain immigrants as part of President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Padilla also recently blasted the Trump Administration’s stop work order to organizations that provide legal services for unaccompanied children and demanded they protect Congressionally mandated legal representation for these children in the immigration system. Earlier this year, Padilla cosponsored the Born in the USA Act to effectively block the implementation of Trump’s unconstitutional executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for certain children born in the United States, or a similar subsequent executive order. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Full text of the letter is available here and below: Dear Ms. Scott: The Trump administration will soon resurrect one of the most draconian and discriminatory immigration policies in our nation’s history, forcing immigrants to register with the federal government an