On the 23rd, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a warning on the official account of the social media platform X that green card holders and those with legal residency should always carry alien registration documents. If they are unable to show their identity documents when they are stopped by federal law enforcement officers, they may face misdemeanors and fines.
The warning from the Customs and Border Protection pointed out that all foreigners with legal residency, as long as they are over 18 years old, should always carry all alien registration documents or alien registration receipt cards commonly known as green cards, otherwise they may face misdemeanors and fines.
The warning reads: “If you are a non-citizen, please obey US laws.”
Affects more than 12.8 million people in the United States
Newsweek reported on the 24th that according to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics of the Department of Homeland Security, as of January 1, 2024, there are about 12.8 million people with legal residency living in the United States.
The requirement for non-citizens to carry their IDs is not new. It is based on Section 264(e) of the federal Immigration and Nationality Act. The law states that not carrying IDs may constitute a federal misdemeanor.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stipulates that if a person with legal residency fails to comply with the law, he or she may lose his or her legal immigration status and face deportation.
Green card holders have the right to remain silent and request a lawyer when detained. Although the law requires legal residents to carry their IDs, it does not require them to answer questions from law enforcement officers without a lawyer present.
In addition, the application for a green card was previously free, but now the USCIS has started charging $1,050. These include Form I-131, which is used to apply for advance parole, commonly known as a “reentry permit” when traveling, and Form I-765, which is used to apply for work permit.
Activists and immigration lawyers point out that many green card holders are unaware of the requirement to carry their green cards with them, and may inadvertently put themselves in danger. Any violators may face legal problems, and the punishment for a misdemeanor may be a $100 fine or 30 days in jail, or both. Milton Toro, an immigration lawyer in Tampa, Florida, said that Trump’s second term in office has implemented strict immigration policies, and “it is more important than ever to carry all documents that can prove your identity.”
Immigration lawyer: Only the original counts
Some legal residents keep their green cards at home for fear of losing them, but immigration lawyers remind you that paper copies or digital photos of green cards do not count, only the original green card counts.
