Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that her department will begin to enforce laws that allow consequences to be delivered to illegal immigrants who have resisted leaving the country or who otherwise defied U.S. laws.

The department said the goal is to prod the migrants to “self-deport.”

Ms. Noem said she is flexing laws that have long been on the books but never enforced.

Among them is a law that requires most illegal immigrants to register with the government and those 14 and older to be fingerprinted. Ms. Noem also said she will use a law that penalizes people who fail to leave the U.S. when they are scheduled.

The laws carry financial penalties and in some cases jail time, and a potential hurdle to coming back legally in the future.

The department said those incentives should push people in the country illegally to make new decisions.

“President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for those in our country illegally: leave now. If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream,” the department said in an unsigned statement.

The department called “mass self deportation” a “safer path” for everyone involved.

Homeland Security said it’s creating a web form for illegal immigrants to register.

The juxtaposition with the Biden administration is striking. The Biden team used online tools to welcome millions of unauthorized migrants through legally iffy “parole” programs.

Mr. Trump shut down those parole programs and is now using online tools to try to reverse the flow of people.

“The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws — we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce,” the department said. “We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans.”

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.