Automatic Draft Registration Jeopardises Transgender and Immigrant Youth, Says Civil Rights Group

Civil rights advocates warn that the automatic draft registration using government databases could disproportionately harm transgender and immigrant youth.

Sensitive personal data could be pulled from federal databases without consent, according to Edward Hasbrouck, advocate for the National Network Opposing the Militarisation of Youth. Retrieved from Social Security, IRS and other federal records, information on age, sex, and address could also be mishandled.

Gender and Immigration Status Compromised

'Sex as assigned at birth is recorded, if at all, in state or foreign records, and not necessarily in any Federal record,' Hasbruck wrote. 'State records may indicate a self-selected gender marker, or a non-binary or non-gendered 'X' gender marker, while not all foreign countries include gender in birth records.'

Citizenship, immigration, and visa status also affect the automatic draft registration process, he asserted.

'To figure out who to register 'automatically', the [Selective Service System] will have to construct a database of all males ages 18-26 present in the USA including non-US citizens, documented or undocumented, and their immigration and visa status, and keep this list constantly up to date,' he explained.

'A comprehensive list of undocumented young adult US residents, with their addresses, won't be easy to construct. But even an error-filled and incomplete version of such a list would be highly vulnerable to abuse by other Federal agencies that could obtain it from the SSS.'

Proposed Rule Changes in Draft-Eligible Registration

On 30 March, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs confirmed receiving a proposed rule from the SSS, the agency managing the database of men who will be called to serve the US during a national emergency. Most men aged 18 to 25 are already required to register before automatic registration was mandated in December 2025.

'This statutory change transfers responsibility for registration from individual men to SSS through integration with federal data sources,' the agency proposed on its website. Implementation starts in December 2026, in an effort to streamline the registration process and corresponding workforce realignment.

The proposed rule is still under review and pending finalisation. The last time the US enforced a military draft was during the Vietnam War. Military service remained voluntary since 1973, but in 1980, President Jimmy Carter reinstated the Selective Service system in the event of a 'national emergency.'

US-Iran Conflict Raises Concerns over Automatic Draft Registration

The proposition drew attention amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, with many speculating over the prospects of a draft. Speaking to reporters on 10 March, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said a draft is 'not part of the current plan,' but added that President Trump is considering it as an option.

Trump cannot enforce the draft through executive action, The Hill reported. That would require a congressional amendment to the Military Selective Service Act, authorising the president. Under the proposed rule, men will be automatically registered within 30 days of turning 18.

'Neither Democrats nor Republicans seem willing to let go of their fantasies of always having a draft ready to activate as a fallback so they can plan for endless, unlimited wars without having to worry about whether enough Americans will be willing to fight them,' Hasbrouck asserted.

'Keeping conscription on a hair-trigger, like keeping nuclear weapons on a hair-trigger, allows these weapons to be used as part of the arsenal of US military threats. Both have had bipartisan support,' he added.

Failure to register in the Selective Service System is considered a criminal offence, preventing individuals from receiving state-funded benefits. Violations carry fines of up to £186,403 ($250,000) and up to five years' jail sentence.