Federal Court Clears Way for Registration of Immigrants

The Trump administration previously announced that all “aliens” unlawfully in the United States must register with the U.S. government

A U.S. District Court (and here) last week allowed the Trump administration to move forward with a its alien registration.

In a legal challenge to alien registration, Judge Trevor Neil McFadden, a Trump appointee, sided with the administration.  The ruling rested largely on the standing of the groups challenging the requirement had standing.

The court denied the request to enjoin the policy before it goes into effect on Friday. Judge McFadden found that the advocacy organization plaintiffs’ harms were too speculative and they could not show that registration would “erode their core missions.” 

The court noted that “[t]he story behind this case begins in 1940, when Congress enacted the Smith Act, also known as the Alien Registration Act. Pub. L. No. 76-670, 54 Stat. 670 . . . .”

KJ