A 60-year-old permanent resident in Chicago was fined $130 after failing to carry his green card during a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspection. The case underscores renewed enforcement of a rule that had gone largely unenforced for decades under the Donald Trump administration’s tougher immigration policies.
According to NBC and the Chicago Tribune, the man, identified as Ruben Antonio Cruz, was stopped by ICE officers on the 9th and asked to present his permanent resident card. When he failed to do so, he was fined. Media outlets linked the case to Trump’s January executive order directing stricter enforcement of immigration laws.
Under Section 264(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), all foreign nationals aged 18 and older must carry their registration documents at all times. Violations can result in up to $100 in fines, 30 days of imprisonment, or both.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained that while jail terms remain capped at 30 days, fines may now exceed prior limits under broader federal criminal provisions.
The immigrant rights organization CHIRLA (The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) sharply criticized the case, calling it “racial discrimination disguised as an immigration status check.”
BY YOONSEO SONG [song.yoonseo@koreadaily.com]
