The move is part of broad efforts by President Donald Trump to crack down on illegal immigration through mass deportations and border security. Previously, illegal immigrants were committing a civil offense and could be detained and deported but weren't considered to have committed a crime, according to the Journal. Those who qualify but fail to register could be fined up to $5,000 and sentenced to up to six months in prison.
The administration's plans rely on provisions of immigration law that have proved impractical to enforce, according to the Journal. Pursuing cases against alleged offenders could tie up prosecutorial resources and swell the prison population, and illegal immigrants rarely have the means to pay such hefty fines, experts told the Journal.