Overview
- Rueben Antonio Cruz, a 60-year-old lawful permanent resident in Chicago, received a $130 ticket after ICE officers found he was not carrying identification during a check and he was released without jail time.
- The duty for noncitizens 18 and older to carry evidence of registration derives from Section 264 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a provision rarely enforced in recent decades.
- Enforcement has intensified through targeted operations such as Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz, with local outlets noting document checks that had been uncommon until recently.
- DHS in March confirmed that failure to carry proof of registration is a misdemeanor and outlined penalties of up to a $5,000 fine or up to 30 days’ imprisonment, while USCIS introduced an online Form G-325R to help unregistered individuals comply.
- Civil-rights groups warn of profiling risks, a recent court challenge was dismissed, and advocates report additional cases, including what they describe as the first criminal charge involving a green card holder in the past month.