title:  Obama Just Completely F*cked Over Trump’s ‘Muslim Registry’ Plan
text: Donald Trump was really looking forward to using a dormant regulation as the basis for his Muslim registry. While The Donald planned to resurrect the Bush-era National Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS)   a program that was condemned heavily for targeting Muslims   Obama decided that he might as well just eliminate it before Trump can make good on his promise to bring it back.On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security published a new regulation that completely eliminates NSEERS, which has lain dormant since President Obama suspended the program in 2011:The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is removing outdated regulations relating to an obsolete special registration program for certain nonimmigrants. DHS ceased use of the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) program in 2011 after finding that the program was redundant, captured data manually that was already captured through automated systems, and no longer provided an increase in security in light of DHS s evolving assessment of the threat posed to the United States by international terrorism. The regulatory structure pertaining to NSEERS no longer provides a discernable public benefit as the program has been rendered obsolete.Accordingly, DHS is removing the special registration program regulations.The best part? This new rule takes effect almost immediately, so there is nothing at all Trump can do to stop Obama from scuttling his hopes of using NSEERS to create his Nazi-esque program.This seems to be a response to a plea from New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to President Obama. In a letter addressed to the President, Schneiderman pointed out (very correctly): We can t risk giving President-elect Trump the tools to create an unconstitutional religious registry. Schneiderman praised the President s decision Thursday: This is a win for civil rights and for smart, effective law enforcement, as well as for the strong coalition of advocacy organizations and others who fought to dismantle this discriminatory tool,  he said.  My office will continue do everything it can to protect the rights of all New Yorkers, and ensure equal justice under the law for all, regardless of religion or national origin. If Trump wants to create a Muslim registry   and he really, really does  he s going to need to find another way to do it.Featured image via Win McNamee/Getty Images