The Department of Homeland Security says in a memo that refugees applying for green cards must return to federal custody one year after they were admitted to the U.
MINNEAPOLIS (TIP): The Trump administration has issued a sweeping new order that could lead to the arrest of tens of thousands of refugees who are lawfully in the United States but do not yet have permanent residency, overturning years of legal and immigration safeguards, AP reports.
A memo filed by the Department of Homeland Security ahead of a Thursday, February 19 federal court hearing in Minnesota says refugees applying for green cards must return to federal custody one year after they were admitted to the U.S. for review of their applications.
DHS “may maintain custody for the duration of the inspection and examination process,” said the memo, which was filed Wednesday.
Advocacy and resettlement groups slammed the order, which is likely to face legal challenges and could sow confusion and fear among the nearly 200,000 refugees who came to the United States during the Biden administration.
The order is the latest in a series of immigration restrictions by the Trump administration, which has upended longstanding policies toward refugees, including dramatically reducing the number admitted into the country. A memo obtained by The Associated Press late last year said the administration was planning a review of all refugees admitted to the U.S. during the Biden administration, and immediately suspended green card approvals for refugees who arrived during those years.
The administration has cited national security and economic concerns for its changed policies. Experts say refugees let into the country already undergo extensive vetting.
The new order came hours before U.S. District Judge John Tunheim heard arguments Thursday, February 19, on whether he should extend a temporary order that protects Minnesota refugees lawfully in the U.S. from being arrested and deported. Tunheim’s order applies only in Minnesota, but the implications of the new national policy were a major part of the discussion anyway. How many people could be arrested under the new order was unclear.
Justice Department attorney Brantley Mayers said during Thursday’s hearing that the government should have the right to arrest refugees one year after entering the U.S., but indicated that would not always happen.
“That’s a discretion call for DHS to make,” he said, a comment met with skepticism by attorneys for the Minnesota refugees.
Tunheim did not rule Thursday, saying he would issue a written decision on whether the temporary order would be extended.
After the hearing, Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota said at a news conference outside the courthouse that the government “failed to offer any coherent argument for their policy in either law or fact.” She wasn’t in court for the hearing, but said she had been briefed about it.
“And so we will continue the fight for justice in the courts,” Smith said, flanked by attorneys and refugee rights supporters, including U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Immigration advocates quickly pushed back against the new policy, with HIAS, an international Jewish nonprofit serving refugees and asylum seekers, calling it “a transparent effort to detain and potentially deport thousands of people who are legally present in this country, people the U.S. government itself welcomed.”
“They were promised safety and the chance to rebuild their lives. Instead, DHS is now threatening them with arrest and indefinite detention,” Beth Oppenheim, the group’s CEO, said in a statement.
Tunheim blocked the government from targeting the Minnesota refugees last month, saying the plaintiffs in the case were likely to prevail on their claims “that their arrest and detention, and the policy that purports to justify them, are unlawful.” His Jan. 28 temporary restraining order will expire Feb. 25 unless he grants a more permanent preliminary injunction.
The judge previously rejected the government’s claim that it had the legal right to arrest and detain refugees who have not obtained their green cards within a year of arriving in the U.S.
“Mandating detention would lead to an illogical result,” Tunheim wrote, since refugees can’t even apply for green cards until they’ve been in the U.S. for a year. The government’s interpretation, he said, means nearly all refugees would face detention unless immigration officials conducted their review at exactly the one-year mark, which he called “nonsensical.”
Refugee rights groups sued the federal government in January after the government launched Operation PARRIS, an acronym for Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening.
It was billed as a “sweeping initiative” to reexamine the cases of 5,600 Minnesota refugees who had not yet been granted permanent resident status, or green cards. The agencies cited fraud in public programs in Minnesota as justification.
Operation PARRIS was part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown targeting Minnesota, including a surge of thousands of federal officers. Homeland Security called it the largest immigration enforcement operation ever. It set off mass protests after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens. White House border czar Tom Homan announced last week that the surge was ending, though a small federal presence would remain.
The lawsuit alleges that ICE officers went door to door under Operation PARRIS arresting refugees and sending them to detention centers in Texas, without access to attorneys. Some were later released in Texas and left to find their own way back to Minnesota, they said.
Tunheim noted in his order that refugees are extensively vetted by multiple agencies before being resettled in the U.S. He wrote that none arrested in the operation had been deemed a danger to the community or a flight risk, nor had any been charged with crimes that could be grounds for deportation.
Tunheim stressed that the refugees impacted by his order were admitted into the U.S. because of persecution in their home countries. He prohibited further arrests under Operation PARRIS and ordered that detainees still in custody from it be released and returned to Minnesota.
“They are not committing crimes on our streets, nor did they illegally cross the border. Refugees have a legal right to be in the United States, a right to work, a right to live peacefully,” he wrote.
(Source: AP)
Very interesting details you have mentioned, appreciate it for putting up.
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m happy that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Hiya, I am really glad I’ve found this information. Today bloggers publish just about gossips and web and this is really frustrating. A good website with exciting content, this is what I need. Thanks for keeping this web site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Cant find it.
I’d must test with you here. Which isn’t one thing I often do! I get pleasure from studying a submit that can make people think. Additionally, thanks for allowing me to remark!
What i don’t realize is in fact how you are now not really a lot more neatly-liked than you might be right now. You are so intelligent. You understand therefore considerably with regards to this subject, produced me in my opinion consider it from a lot of numerous angles. Its like men and women don’t seem to be involved except it is something to accomplish with Girl gaga! Your own stuffs nice. Always handle it up!
Whats up very cool blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Wonderful .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds also…I am glad to seek out so many useful information right here in the submit, we need develop extra strategies on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
I am impressed with this website , very I am a fan.
Those are yours alright! . We at least need to get these people stealing images to start blogging! They probably just did a image search and grabbed them. They look good though!
I am glad to be one of the visitants on this great website (:, appreciate it for putting up.
Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such fantastic information being shared freely out there.
As I website owner I conceive the articles here is rattling excellent, regards for your efforts.
I cling on to listening to the news broadcast lecture about getting boundless online grant applications so I have been looking around for the most excellent site to get one. Could you tell me please, where could i acquire some?
Very interesting information!Perfect just what I was searching for! “It is our choices…that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” by J. K. Rowling.
I am glad to be a visitor of this staring web site! , regards for this rare info ! .
Woh I love your blog posts, saved to bookmarks! .
Its fantastic as your other content : D, appreciate it for posting. “Always be nice to people on the way up because you’ll meet the same people on the way down.” by Wilson Mizner.
I am really loving the theme/design of your site. Do you ever run into any browser compatibility problems? A small number of my blog readers have complained about my site not operating correctly in Explorer but looks great in Chrome. Do you have any ideas to help fix this issue?
This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your wonderful post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social networks!
Greetings! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I really enjoy reading through your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same subjects? Thank you!
Hi! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any problems with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no backup. Do you have any solutions to prevent hackers?
Have you ever considered about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is important and all. However think of if you added some great visuals or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and clips, this website could undeniably be one of the very best in its niche. Fantastic blog!
Only a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw great layout.
Thanks , I’ve just been searching for info about this subject for ages and yours is the greatest I’ve discovered till now. But, what about the conclusion? Are you sure about the source?
Awsome site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also.
You are my intake, I have few blogs and sometimes run out from to post : (.
I am curious to find out what blog platform you’re using? I’m experiencing some minor security issues with my latest website and I would like to find something more safe. Do you have any recommendations?
Would you be interested by exchanging links?
I view something truly special in this site.
Wonderful site. Plenty of useful information here. I am sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks for your sweat!
Hello. remarkable job. I did not anticipate this. This is a great story. Thanks!
I am glad to be a visitant of this staring blog! , regards for this rare information! .
I’d incessantly want to be update on new articles on this site, saved to bookmarks! .
Some really interesting details you have written.Helped me a lot, just what I was looking for :D.
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?
Hiya very nice blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your blog and take the feeds also…I’m happy to search out numerous helpful info here within the publish, we’d like work out more techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Electronic Business Card – The Smart Card. Create and share your professional electronic business card easily. In minutes. Choose from 100+ templates, connect with clients, and grow your business today!
I just could not leave your web site before suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the usual information a person supply to your visitors? Is gonna be back ceaselessly to check out new posts
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I to find It really helpful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you aided me.
I really enjoy studying on this website , it has got fantastic posts.
I went over this internet site and I believe you have a lot of good info , saved to my bookmarks (:.
I wish to show my appreciation to this writer just for rescuing me from this particular matter. Right after surfing throughout the world-wide-web and obtaining proposals that were not powerful, I assumed my life was done. Being alive minus the solutions to the problems you’ve fixed all through this article is a critical case, and ones that could have negatively damaged my career if I had not come across your web site. Your main expertise and kindness in maneuvering all the stuff was crucial. I am not sure what I would’ve done if I hadn’t discovered such a thing like this. I’m able to at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks for your time very much for your specialized and result oriented help. I won’t think twice to propose the blog to any individual who wants and needs direction on this problem.
I have learn several good stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting. I wonder how a lot attempt you place to create this kind of great informative web site.
Can I just say what a reduction to find someone who actually knows what theyre talking about on the internet. You definitely know easy methods to carry a problem to gentle and make it important. Extra individuals must read this and perceive this side of the story. I cant believe youre no more standard because you undoubtedly have the gift.
Fantastic goods from you, man. I have understand your stuff previous to and you are just extremely fantastic. I actually like what you have acquired here, really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it entertaining and you still take care of to keep it wise. I can not wait to read far more from you. This is really a wonderful web site.
It’s really a cool and helpful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Normally I don’t read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do so! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, very nice post.
It’s really a cool and helpful piece of information. I’m happy that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
Great blog! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also.
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I will be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently fast.
whoah this blog is excellent i love reading your posts. Keep up the good work! You know, a lot of people are searching around for this info, you could aid them greatly.
Terrific work! This is the type of info that should be shared around the internet. Shame on the search engines for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my website . Thanks =)
Thank you for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do a little research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I’m very glad to see such fantastic info being shared freely out there.
I really glad to find this site on bing, just what I was looking for : D besides bookmarked.
Great beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your site, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered bright clear idea
I really appreciate this post. I’ve been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You have made my day! Thx again
Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme of this site. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very hard to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and appearance. I must say you’ve done a great job with this. Additionally, the blog loads extremely fast for me on Safari. Excellent Blog!
Hi, Neat post. There is an issue along with your site in web explorer, could check this… IE nonetheless is the marketplace chief and a big component of other people will omit your fantastic writing due to this problem.