Federal courts in Alabama are using a law last applied during the U.S. internment of people of Japanese descent during World War II to charge immigrants who don’t register themselves. In 2025, 27 people were charged with Failure to Register under the Alien Immigration Act and 13 were charged with failure to notify of change of address. Public records don’t reflect what events led up to these people being criminally charged for not registering, but court documents do show traces of their paths from Alabama to detention facilities. In federal court records, immigrants charged under the law first received tickets, written by ICE agents that say “Central Violations Bureau” on them. CVB tickets are usually associated with violations tied to federal property, like hunting or fishing in the wrong place, and come with fees. If an immigrant paid that fine, it would be an admission of guilt, said attorney Danny Upton, and they would have a criminal record. Unlawful presence is currently a ci...