Judge allows Trump’s immigrant registration requirement

A federal judge shot down immigrant-rights groups’ attempt to block President Trump’s new requirement that illegal immigrants register with the government, saying the organizations that sued didn’t have legal standing to bring the case.

The ruling does not comment on the legality of Homeland Security’s policy, which is scheduled to take effect Friday.

Instead Judge Trevor McFadden said the Los Angeles-based Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and other organizations couldn’t show that they or any of their members would suffer a harm from the registration requirement.

“Plaintiffs have failed to show that the mere requirement to abide by the law — even if true that the accompanying regulation flouted procedural requirements when enacted — constitutes a concrete injury for standing purposes,” said Judge McFadden, a Trump appointee to the bench.

The registration requirement has been part of U.S. law since 1940, but has been largely ignored for most of that time.

That changes with Mr. Trump, who in January ordered Homeland Security and the Justice Department to breathe new life into the requirement.

CHIRLA said the Trump administration didn’t follow the right procedural hurdles, such as putting the new rule up for notice and comment.

The Trump administration said that wasn’t required in this case, and besides argued the groups didn’t have legal standing, meaning they couldn’t prove an appropriate injury the courts could address.

Trump officials have described the registration requirement as part of their push to have illegal immigrants self-deport.

The law allows for a misdemeanor criminal charge, with up to six months in jail, for aliens who fail to register.

Homeland Security said those who register will be issued proof of registration that they must carry with them at all times in the U.S. They must also make sure their address listed in Homeland Security records is current.