US EditionUS judge blocks Trump administration from detaining thousands of refugees
The ruling halts a policy affecting over 100,000 refugees who may face detention for not obtaining green cards within one year, pending further legal review.
- On Monday, Judge Richard Stearns blocked DHS from enforcing a policy to arrest refugees who lack green cards after one year, issuing a temporary injunction while litigation proceeds.
- DHS officials initiated 'Operation PARRIS' in January, reinterpreting federal law to mandate detention for refugees without green cards by rescinding 2010 ICE guidance that defined 'custody' as reporting for interviews.
- Six refugees and advocacy groups sued the Trump administration, arguing the policy unlawfully conflated 'custody' and 'detention' and potentially exposed over 100,000 refugees with pending applications to arrest.
- Citing 'irreparable harm,' Stearns protected lawfully admitted refugees from unnecessary detention, while Jeff Thielman, CEO of the International Institute of New England, said the ruling gives "some relief and a break" from arrest pressure.
- The injunction serves as a judicial check against administrative overreach, preventing the government from unilaterally expanding detention authority while the lawsuit proceeds to protect those with pending status applications.
13 Articles
13 Articles
US judge blocks Trump administration from detaining thousands of refugees
A federal judge on Monday blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's administration from enforcing a new policy that would subject thousands of refugees to arrest and detention if after a year in the United States they had yet to obtain green cards.
Six refugees, together with the Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts and the International Institute of New England (IINE), filed a federal lawsuit in Boston against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy that allows the indefinite detention of legally admitted refugees.The legal action, filed in February, seeks to block the directive authorizing ICE to arrest refugees who have been in the U.S for at least one year without a …
Judge Bars DHS From Detaining Refugees Who Don’t Obtain Green Cards
A federal judge on March 23 prohibited federal immigration officials from detaining refugees who do not apply for green cards within one year of entering the United States. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in late 2025 rescinded a 2010 memorandum that said agents could not detain a refugee solely for failure to obtain a green card. In February, the agency said that refugees who did not become lawful permanent residents after one year in the U…
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Refugee Detention Policy
Anthony Behar/Sipa USA via APA federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Department of Homeland Security from detaining refugees who haven’t obtained green cards.The Trump administration failed to defend the policy of arresting refugees who had not secured permanent residency one year after arriving in the U.S. The policy became publicly known in February after immigration officials started targeting refugees living in Minnesota.Judge Rich…
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