Immigration defenders are demanding the Trump administration for their next registration requirement for non -American citizens who remain more than 29 days, offering a possible respite for Canadian snow birds.
The American Council of American Immigration based in the United States and associated organizations launched demand this week to try to cancel the registration rule. They claim that the administration could not seek public information about a poorly conceived directive that affects millions of people.
On Tuesday, the defense groups will request the District Court of the Columbia district to impose a preliminary court order that blocks the registration requirement before its implementation of April 11.
“We firmly believe that this rule was issued inadequately and illegally,” said Michelle Lapointe, legal director of the American Imigration Council. “What they are implementing is an arbitrary system, it is confusing, it makes no sense.”
In January, the president of the United States, Trump issued a Executive order called “protect the American people against invasion.” As of April 11, it requires that certain foreign citizens remain 30 days or more, including many Canadians who cross by land, to register in line with the United States government.
The registration form asks travelers for a long list of personal details, such as the US address and where the parents of one were born. Non -Canadians will also have to present digital footprints.
Immigration defense groups join many Canadian snow birds that have expressed concerns since they learned about the registration rule last month.
“I feel that we are being attacked as Canadians,” said Rena Hans de Toronto, owner of a condominium in Florida. “This is giving me something like that, a little of a totalitarian environment.”
Stephen Fine, president of the company Snowbird Advisor, who directs a resources website, says he has received hundreds of emails from Snowbirds electronic asking questions about the registration requirement.
“There is a lot of anxiety and a lot of confusion.”
Fine says that a main problem is that the small impression of the rule can be difficult to decipher.
“The regulations came out in a hurry. There is not much clarity on how to complete the process, which is required to complete the process.”
He says that demand manages to cancel the regulations, it would be good news for Snowbirds.
Fine or prison of $ 5,000
Part of the confusion comes from the fact that not all foreigners who stay a month or more must register. The Canadians issued an electronic arrival/exit record when entering the US. UU. It will be exempt. According to immigration lawyers, CBC News consulted, generally, international air passengers receive such records, and land travelers are not.
To find out their status, travelers must enter their online travel information through an US immigration website. upon arrival.
Those required to register must transport registration voucher at all times or face fines of up to $ 5,000, or prison for up to six months, or both.
Lapointe says that because the rules are complex, people could break them without knowing it and finding themselves in trouble.
“They could be collected, arrested, detained, fined.”
Snowbirds tells them to be insulted that the Trump administration will begin to enforce an existing law for Canadians who require that any person crossing a land border that remains more than 30 days registered with the US immigration authorities.
Snowbirds David and Dianne Fine (without relation to Stephen Fine) say they plan to return home to Hepworth, Ontario, before the deadline of April 11 to avoid any problem.
The couple, who are wintering in a Rodante Casa park in Brownsville, Texas, completed the online registration form at the end of March. However, they have not yet received an official record of their registration that can be printed and show if necessary.
“If we do not have the correct documentation and catch us before April 11, I suppose that it means that we are going to jail or face a fine of $ 5,000, or both,” said Fine, offering the worst case.
The United States immigration lawyer, Rosanna Berardi, told CBC News that she does not believe that Canadians in front of such repercussions.
However, Fine says that, after recent news reports about greater immigration scrutiny under the Trump administration, it does not risk.
“[From] What I am seeing in the United States in recent months, we don’t know if there would be clemency, “he said.” That is what worries us a bit. “
CBC News contacted US citizenship and immigration services and the National Security Department to clarify if, on April 11, the paperwork currently the fine, an email that indicates that the United States government has received its complete record, is acceptable.
Neither of them answered that question, nor to other questions about the clarification of the registration rules.
Nor did they comment directly on the demand. On the other hand, both sent the same response of a single paragraph that once again established the new rule, and ended up stating that the registration requirement “is aligned with the continuous efforts of the Trump administration to improve the security of the United States.”
Some snow birds are not sure they return us
Demand specifically refers to Canadian snow birds, which suggests that if the requirement deters them from winter in the United States, it could cause financial damage to Americans.
“They are a blessing for many communities, particularly in places like Florida,” Lapointe of the Immigration Council said. “This is a problem that the government should have seen.”
The fines have not been decided if they will return to the USA next winter, citing the registration requirement and related problems, such as Trump’s commercial war.
They expect the demand to be successful so that if they return, they have one thing less about to worry.
“We are very happy that this can happen and remove all confusion,” said Fine.
