Noem announces DHS registry for illegal aliens in US that will require them to be fingerprinted
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem is warning illegal immigrants in the U.S. that they should leave the country now or face serious consequences, including losing the opportunity to enjoy freedom and live the American dream.
Noem appeared on "Jesse Watters Primetime" on Tuesday night to discuss her latest initiative, announcing an illegal alien registry that requires fingerprinting.
The secretary said DHS will enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act, which was enacted in 1952 and created several tools to track illegal aliens and compel them to voluntarily leave the U.S.
DHS said the tools include criminal penalties for migrants who choose not to leave the U.S., fail to register with the federal government and get fingerprinted, and fail to notify the federal government of changes to their address.
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Illegal immigrants who fail to depart the U.S. will be charged with a crime resulting in a "significant penalty," DHS said.
But migrants who fail to register with the federal government could be fined, imprisoned or both.
"For decades, this law has been ignored – not anymore," DHS said.
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Noem and DHS hope to convince illegal immigrants that self-deportation is a safer path, not just for them, but also for law enforcement officials.
"President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for those in our country illegally: leave now. If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream," DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said. "The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws—we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce. We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans."
The DHS encourages immigrants in the U.S. illegally to visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website, where there are instructions on how to register with the federal government.
Noem’s push comes more than a week after she sent a stern warning on behalf of President Donald Trump, to those planning on entering the U.S. illegally.
"Let me deliver a message from President Trump to the world. If you are considering entering America illegally, don't even think about it," she said. "Let me be clear. If you come to our country, and you break our laws, we will hunt you down. Criminals are not welcome in the United States. For too long, weak leadership has left our borders wide open, flooding our communities with drugs, human trafficking, and violent criminals. Well, those days are over."
Noem was the fourth member of the Trump administration to gain approval from the Senate, and is leading the department at a time when securing the border and tackling illegal immigration are top priorities for the new administration.
The administration has taken a number of actions to secure the border, including deploying the military, restarting wall construction and ending Biden-era parole programs.
Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.