No exceptions for H-1B workers in US! DHS mandates all immigrants to carry an ID 24/7, backing Trump-era rule

All immigrants in the United States—including legal workers, students, and green card holders—must now carry their identification documents at all times, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced. The move follows a court ruling approving a Trump-era directive to enforce immigrant registration more strictly.

In a statement released on Friday, the DHS said, "All noncitizens 18 and older must carry this documentation at all times. This administration has directed DHS to prioritize enforcement, there will be no sanctuary for noncompliance."

The directive applies to all noncitizens, even those legally residing in the U.S. on visas such as H-1B or student permits. Their children must also re-register and submit fingerprints within 30 days of turning 14, according to a Times of India report.

The policy gained further ground after U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden, appointed by Donald Trump, dismissed a legal challenge to the registration rule. The judge ruled that the plaintiffs—including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and United Farm Workers of America—had failed to demonstrate standing.

"As organizations, many of their harms are too speculative, and they have failed to show that the Rule will erode their core missions," Judge McFadden wrote, according to Reuters.

The DHS clarification and the judge’s order together clear the path for implementing the policy. While those already in the government system—such as green card holders, those with valid visas, and individuals with employment authorisation documents—are considered registered, they too must now carry documents to prove their legal status at all times.

Immigration advocates have criticised the move. Nicholas Espiritu, deputy legal director at the National Immigration Law Center, which represents the plaintiffs, called the ruling "disappointing" and warned it would "force people into an impossible choice between registering and risking immediate deportation or refusing and facing penalties."

The ruling signals a significant ramp-up in immigration enforcement, with the DHS indicating there will be “no sanctuary for noncompliance.”

(With agency inputs)