A federal court in Minneapolis has delivered a significant blow to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics by issuing a temporary restraining order against the arrest of lawfully resettled refugees in Minnesota. U.S. District Judge John Tunheim ruled Wednesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents likely violated multiple federal statutes through their targeted operations against refugees who had undergone proper admission procedures.
Judge Tunheim’s order specifically mandates the immediate release of any refugees detained under Operation PARRIS (Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening), a program announced by the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month that proposed reexamining thousands of refugee cases through new background checks.
In his ruling, Tunheim emphasized that refugees possess legal rights to reside and work peacefully in the United States without facing “the terror of being arrested and detained without warrants or cause.” The judge articulated America’s historical role as “a haven of individual liberties in a world too often full of tyranny and cruelty,” warning that this ideal is abandoned “when we subject our neighbors to fear and chaos.”
The court decision permits the administration to continue reviewing refugee status and enforcing immigration laws but prohibits the arrest and detention of lawfully admitted refugees. This nuanced approach acknowledges governmental authority while protecting individual rights.
The ruling prompted immediate condemnation from White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, the architect behind Trump’s immigration crackdown, who denounced it as “judicial sabotage of democracy” in a social media post.
According to court documents, refugees affected by the operations had undergone rigorous background checks, received approval from multiple federal agencies, and were awaiting adjustment to permanent resident status while following all regulations. Reports from Minnesota described violent arrests where refugees were dragged from homes and vehicles, detained locally, then transferred to Texas facilities where judges are more likely to align with administration policies.
Sarah Kahn, senior staff attorney at the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, welcomed the decision, stating the judge recognized that “this brutal and senseless practice is illegal” and required governmental respect for longstanding refugee protections. The case highlights Minnesota’s emergence as a focal point in Trump’s immigration enforcement, where two U.S. citizens were killed by ICE agents during observation activities.