A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from detaining thousands of refugees living in Minnesota who have not yet received their lawful permanent resident (LPR) status. The judge ruled that these individuals cannot be arrested or detained simply because their status adjustment process is still pending.
Federal Judge Halts Detention of Refugees
Senior U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim issued the ruling on Monday, stating that any refugee in Minnesota who has already been detained under this policy must be released immediately. The 20-page order challenges the federal government’s actions under Operation PARRIS — a program launched by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reverify the status of thousands of admitted refugees.
What Is Operation PARRIS?
Announced in January 2026, Operation Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening (Operation PARRIS) was described by DHS as a fraud investigation. The program aimed to reexamine refugee claims through updated background checks and screenings. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also involved.
However, Judge Tunheim noted that instead of just checking records, DHS began arresting and detaining refugees who had already been in the country for over a year but were still waiting for their LPR status. These arrests were conducted without warrants, leading to a legal challenge from several refugees.
Temporary Relief Granted to Refugees
A class-action lawsuit was filed, resulting in the court issuing a temporary restraining order (TRO) on January 28, 2026. The TRO protected:
“All individuals with refugee status residing in Minnesota, who have not yet adjusted to lawful permanent resident status, and have not been charged with any ground for removal.”
Under the TRO, the Trump administration was barred from detaining any refugee in this group solely based on their pending LPR status. Those already detained under the policy had to be released.
Administration’s Legal Arguments Rejected
Federal officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, tried to get the restraining order lifted. They argued that U.S. immigration law requires refugees to return to DHS custody after one year for inspection, and that “custody” implies detention.
But Judge Tunheim disagreed. He wrote that if “custody” truly meant detention, then all refugees would have had to be detained upon arrival—which is not and has never been the case.
He pointed to previous interpretations of the law, including by past administrations, which treated “custody” as supervision or responsibility, not physical arrest.
Tunheim emphasized:
“Accepting the claim that this law mandates detention would suggest that the government has been violating it for 45 years—something this Court will not assume.”
Judge Clarifies Scope of the TRO
The administration also argued that the TRO was too broad. But the judge clarified that:
- It does not ban all arrests of refugees, only those based solely on pending LPR status.
- It does not prevent DHS from inspecting refugees or calling them in for interviews.
The ruling only affects refugees currently living in Minnesota.
Court’s Final Remarks and Orders
Judge Tunheim closed by highlighting that:
- Refugees already undergo extensive vetting before entering the U.S.
- The one-year check-in is meant to help them transition to permanent status, not to punish them.
- Mandatory detention is unnecessary and logistically impossible, given the number of people involved.
He called the federal government’s sudden reinterpretation of long-standing laws deeply concerning and potentially unconstitutional.
The court also directed the government to:
- Submit all documents used in support of their request to dissolve the TRO within three days.
- Provide a status update by 5 p.m. Wednesday on the release and return of refugees detained under this policy.
