by the El Reportero news services
Carmen Alvarez sits in her Los Angeles apartment, her fingers hovering over her phone. The RSVP has been sent, the link confirmed—but the weight of what she’s about to witness makes her hesitate. It’s early April 2025, and something ominous is unfolding across the country.
Just days ago, the Trump Administration revives the Alien Registration Act of 1940 under the guise of a “registration process.” Officials frame it as a measure for safety and accountability, but immigrant rights organizations see it for what it truly is—a setup for mass targeting and deportations.
Now, immigrant rights leaders across the country prepare to sound the alarm. On Tuesday, April 15, they will hold a national virtual press conference to warn the public: this is not about paperwork—it’s about surveillance, racial profiling, and fear.
Carmen remembers the raids from years ago. Her uncle was taken during one. He never came back. Her family still carries the trauma. She can’t believe the country is headed back down the same road, this time with a digital twist.
The organizers leading the charge include some of the most respected names in the movement—Angelica Salas of CHIRLA, Tessa Petit of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, Murad Awawdeh of the New York Immigration Coalition, and Nicole Melaku from the National Partnership for New Americans. Together, they will break down how this “registration” effort puts millions at risk—including U.S. citizens swept into a system driven by appearance and origin.
“They say it’s voluntary,” Carmen says aloud, “but we know what comes next.”
The new policy, quietly enacted on April 11, demands immigrants present themselves for documentation. Comply, and you enter a federal database. Refuse, and you risk arrest. It’s not a choice—it’s a trap.
In her neighborhood, Carmen already sees the ripple effects. People stop showing up to work. Children are pulled from schools. Clinics report fewer patients. Fear is sinking in fast.
She opens her calendar and marks April 15 in bold red. This press conference isn’t just an update. It’s a warning shot. A rallying cry. The moment resistance must begin.
Carmen grabs her phone and begins contacting her network. “We can’t wait. We organize now. No one registers. No one complies.”
The registration process has begun. But so has the resistance.
To hear directly from national leaders on the front lines, the public is urged to attend a virtual press conference on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific / 12:00 noon Eastern. Speakers from the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) and the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) will expose the risks and long-term damage of this new federal immigrant registration policy.
To receive the event link, RSVP via email to jmcabrera@chirla.org. A recording will be made available upon request.
