Minneapolis, Minnesota — A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt the arrest and detention of lawfully resettled refugees in Minnesota, following a wave of enforcement actions that advocates say caused widespread fear and family separation across the state. The ruling came after more than 100 refugees were detained in recent weeks, with some transferred to Texas detention facilities and later released without assistance to return home.
U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim issued the temporary order Wednesday while a class-action lawsuit challenging the administration’s refugee “re-vetting” policy moves forward. The judge directed federal authorities to release all refugees currently detained in Minnesota and to return and release those transferred to Texas within five days.
The arrests stem from “Operation Parris,” a Department of Homeland Security initiative announced earlier this month that subjects thousands of refugees—already vetted and lawfully resettled in the U.S.—to renewed background checks. DHS estimates that roughly 5,600 refugees nationwide could be affected.
Court filings describe refugees being arrested by plainclothes agents, rapidly moved out of state, and released without notice, money, or personal belongings. One plaintiff said he feared he was being deported before learning he had been returned to Minnesota.
Judge Tunheim wrote that the accounts presented showed a clear risk of irreparable harm, citing trauma and fear experienced by the affected families. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment on the ruling.
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