A sweeping new immigration directive from the Trump administration could place tens of thousands of legally admitted refugees at risk of arrest and detention, even though they are authorized to live and work in the United States while waiting for permanent residency.
According to a memo filed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ahead of a federal court hearing in Minnesota, refugees applying for green cards may be required to return to federal custody one year after arriving in the country so officials can review their cases. The agency stated it could keep individuals detained for the duration of the inspection process.
Advocates warn the policy could impact nearly 200,000 refugees admitted during the Biden administration and is likely to trigger nationwide legal challenges.
Legal Fight Unfolds in Minnesota
The announcement came just before a hearing before U.S. District Judge John Tunheim, who is considering whether to extend protections for refugees living in Minnesota. His earlier temporary order blocked arrests and deportations of certain refugees in the state, finding that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in arguing the policy was unlawful.
Tunheim also rejected the government’s claim that refugees could be detained for failing to obtain green cards within one year, noting they are not eligible to apply for permanent residency until they have been in the U.S. for at least that long.
The restraining order is set to expire Feb. 25 unless replaced with a preliminary injunction.
Operation PARRIS and Enforcement Surge
The dispute stems from “Operation PARRIS” — Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening — launched in December by federal immigration agencies to reexamine cases of about 5,600 Minnesota refugees without green cards. Officials cited concerns about fraud in public programs as justification.
The initiative was part of a broader immigration enforcement surge that sent thousands of federal officers to Minnesota, described by authorities as the largest operation of its kind. The crackdown sparked protests following fatal encounters involving federal agents. While officials recently announced the surge was ending, a smaller federal presence will remain.
Advocates: Policy Creates Fear and Uncertainty
Refugee and resettlement organizations strongly criticized the directive. The nonprofit HIAS called it an attempt to detain and potentially deport people who were legally admitted after extensive vetting.
Advocacy groups say immigration officers conducted door-to-door arrests during the operation, transferring some refugees to detention centers in Texas without access to legal counsel. Some individuals were later released and forced to find their own way back to Minnesota.
Court Notes Refugees Already Undergo Extensive Vetting
In his ruling, Tunheim emphasized that refugees admitted to the U.S. have already passed rigorous background checks by multiple federal agencies and that those arrested had not been deemed dangerous or a flight risk.
He cited cases including a refugee with no criminal history who was detained during a traffic stop while driving to work. The judge ordered that detainees connected to the operation be released and returned to Minnesota.
Tunheim underscored that refugees are legally present in the country and entitled to due process protections, writing that subjecting them to arrests without warrants undermines fundamental American values.
What Happens Next
The policy’s future now depends on upcoming court decisions and potential nationwide litigation. Immigration experts say the outcome could reshape refugee policy in the United States and determine whether thousands of legally admitted refugees face detention while awaiting permanent residency.
For more on Trump’s anti-immigration policies, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.