In order to call for the deportation of violent Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members, the Trump administration pointed to the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. President Trump certainly isn't the only one to dig deep into the legal archives; activist Democrat judges do it all the time. So we're not sure what POLITICO means when they say that a law from the 1940s is "dormant." Well, actually, we do … it just means it hasn't been enforced.
Federal prosecutors now charging immigrants who don’t submit fingerprints under dormant 1940s law https://t.co/iDaH1djGaB
— POLITICO (@politico) June 14, 2025
Good.
POLITICO legal reporter Hassan Ali Kanu writes:
Federal officials have begun carrying out President Donald Trump’s orders to enforce a World War II-era criminal law that requires virtually all non-citizens in the country to register with and submit fingerprints to the government.
The registration provision in the law, which was passed in 1940 amid widespread public fear about immigrants’ loyalty to the U.S., had been dormant for 75 years, but it is still on the books. Failure to register is considered a “petty offense” — a misdemeanor with maximum penalties of six months imprisonment or a $1,000 fine.
In reviving the law, the Trump administration may put undocumented immigrants in a catch-22. If they register, they must hand over detailed, incriminating information to the federal government — including how and when they entered the country. But knowingly refusing to register is also a crime, punishable by arrest or prosecution, on top of the ever-present threat of deportation.
Once again, good.
So WTH is a “dormant” law?
— IowaGma1 (@Gma1Iowa) June 14, 2025
The Dormant Law Act of 1958 makes old laws that are just kind of resting no longer valid and enforcement dictator-like
— Razor (@hale_razor) June 14, 2025
The INA of 1952 replaced the 1940 law and still requires immigrants submit fingerprints. The only thing “dormant” here appears to be the brain cells of the editors of Politico.
— Katie Scarlett (@Katiescarlet2) June 14, 2025
If it's a law that is still enforceable on the books, it is not dormant. You people are pathetic!
— Lorrie Ann 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇸 (@LorrieAnn25) June 14, 2025
What exactly in the statute categorizes it as dormant? Can you be specific please?
— P.T. Ward (@HTWardish) June 14, 2025
— Cardinal Curmudgeon (@Gimblin) June 14, 2025
Stephen Miller did not come to play:
Illegals who fail to register with the government, as required by law, will be criminally prosecuted. https://t.co/JgPgTRxZBr
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) June 14, 2025
Wow! 😲 They're finally getting serious! That's great!
— Jeri Lynn Simpson (@DreamerJeri) June 14, 2025
We had an election and the people voted to have immigration laws enforced, Trump never stopped saying it. So when you fight Trump on immigration enforcement you’re actually fighting on what the American people voted on. You're disrupting the will of the American people directly.
— ArtificeNation (@ArtificeNation) June 14, 2025
The left's current favorite buzzwords: "dormant" "rarely used" "decades old" and the like. Since when did the age of a law determine whether or not it should be enforced?
— Matt Beers (@Matty_Beers) June 14, 2025
Makes sense, just follow the laws and everything will be fine. Not sure why this would be controversial.
— Hakim (@kareemjeanjr) June 14, 2025
PLEASE remind Pres. Trump that treating our immigration laws as optional and arbitrary is an unforgivable betrayal to our nation. We trusted him with our most precious country.
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸U.S.Citizen🇺🇲🇺🇲 (@AnitaHi74981015) June 14, 2025
NO law is EVER "dormant" until it's rescinded.
— Fair-Is-Fair (@MHarrisonW) June 14, 2025
The Executive “shall take care to carry out the laws”
— Keith Gross (@KeithGrossFL) June 14, 2025
Not just the ones they agree with; all of them.
Don’t blame Trump if you don’t like the laws; blame Congress.
Past presidents refused to uphold their oath. President Trump is upholding the Constitution.
POLITICO reports that "the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and other advocacy groups filed a lawsuit challenging Trump’s move to revive the registration requirement in March." So Trump is "reviving" dormant laws. Good.
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member