Briefnow
May 22, 2026

Trump Signs Order Aimed At Preventing Illicit Financial Activity

President Donald Trump is implementing measures to restrict non-citizens’ access to financial systems in the United States as part of his administration’s broader immigration enforcement.

On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order titled “Restoring Integrity to America’s Financial System” that would require institutions to consider a customer’s immigration status when assessing potential financial risks.

In accordance with the 1970 Bank Secrecy Act, the new order mandates that the Treasury Secretary and federal financial regulators provide banks with guidance on identifying customers whose profiles or transactions may indicate risks such as money laundering, terrorism financing, and labor trafficking.

The order stated that the purpose of these modifications is to “take into account the potential threats to the integrity of the United States financial system posed by foreign consular identification cards.”

The order describes “red flags and typologies” associated with suspicious activity.

Among these are repetitive cash withdrawals, the use of shell companies to conceal true account ownership, and the use of certain platforms for “off-the-books” wage payments.

The “red flags” also encompass the use of an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in place of a Social Security number when opening an account or performing specific banking transactions. This number is accessible to all, irrespective of their immigration status, and is used to file and pay taxes.

Even for legitimate reasons, the move could exacerbate the challenges faced by non-citizens, particularly undocumented immigrants, in obtaining financial services.

The U.S. government has implemented a stringent policy regarding immigration, regardless of whether it is legal or illegal, has restricted the access of immigrants to public services, increased scrutiny for visa and citizenship applications, and detained and deported individuals in mass, including those with lawful immigration status.

Protests across the nation have been incited by extensive immigration operations, which have resulted in the deaths of numerous Americans at the hands of federal agents.

In November, the Treasury Department also disclosed its intention to reclassify specific refundable tax credits as “federal public benefits,” which would limit the eligibility of certain non-citizens who submit taxes in the United States.

“President Trump is taking action to restore integrity to America’s financial system, cracking down on illicit activity that threatens national security and ending the extension of credit to high-risk borrowers that American citizens are forced to subsidize,” a White House fact sheet for the order said.

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