Judge halts DHS arrests of refugees awaiting green cards in Minnesota

A federal judge in Minnesota has temporarily blocked the Department of Homeland Security from arresting or detaining refugees who have not yet received green cards.

A federal judge in Minnesota on Wednesday temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from arresting or detaining refugees who have not yet received green cards, ruling that the practice likely violates federal law.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration launched an operation to target and reexamine the legal status of thousands of refugees in Minnesota who have not yet secured permanent residency status. The Trump administration argued that the "sweeping initiative" intended to reevaluate refugee cases "through new background checks and intensive verification of refugee claims."

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Plaintiffs sued, arguing that operation allowed the arrest and detention of refugees who have already undergone rigorous background checks and vetting and were merely awaiting their green cards. None have been charged with any ground for removal from the country.

U.S. District Court Judge John R. Tunheim sided with the plaintiffs, ruling that the Trump administration cannot arrest or detain anyone in Minnesota "on the basis that they are a refugee who has not yet adjusted to lawful permanent resident status." The judge also ordered the Trump administration to immediately release those who are currently in detention.