Federal Court Protects Minnesota Refugees from Arrest and Detention
 2.png "ICE Protest")
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2026
MEDIA CONTACTS
IRAP | Henrike Dessaules | media@refugeerights.org
The Advocates | Madeline Lohman | press@advrights.org
CHRCL | Edward Barsoumian | press@centerforhumanrights.org
Berger Montague | Amy Wall-Monte | awallmonte@bergermontague.com
FEDERAL COURT PROTECTS MINNESOTA REFUGEES FROM ARREST AND DETENTION
Last Week, Advocates Gathered for a Press Conference To Protect Refugees
(Minneapolis, MN) - Today, a federal judge issued a Preliminary Injunction protecting Minnesota refugees from unlawful arrest and detention while the class action lawsuit U.H.A. v. Bondi proceeds. The previous Temporary Restraining Order protecting refugees from these rights violations expired earlier this week, and the U.S. government was clear it would continue to arrest and detain lawfully present refugees in Minnesota without a new court order. The judge found that the government's policy of warrantless arrest and detention of lawfully present refugees is likely to violate the Immigration & Nationality Act, as well as the Fourth and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
Following February 19 oral arguments in the case, attorneys and local political and refugee leaders gathered in front of the Minneapolis federal courthouse for a press conference featuring Senator Tina Smith and Representative Ilhan Omar. The lawsuit challenging the targeting of refugees under Operation PARRIS was filed by the International Refugee Assistance Project(IRAP), Berger Montague, andtheCenter for Human Rights and Constitutional Law(CHRCL) onbehalf of a group of impacted refugees and The Advocates for Human Rights.
The following is an excerpt from Judge Tunheim's order:
"In the Refugee Act, this Nation extended a helping hand to those escaping persecution. We made a simple promise: pass the vetting, follow the law, and you will be given a chance at a new beginning in safety. That promise was not symbolic. It was concrete. It meant the opportunity to work, to worship, to raise children without fear, and to build a future under the protection of American law. Stability-not more fear-was the commitment. The Government's proposed new interpretation upends that commitment without clear authorization from Congress and rests on constitutionally precarious grounds."
"Minnesota refugees can now live their lives without fear that their own government will snatch them off the street and imprison them far from their loved ones," said Kimberly Grano, Staff Attorney, IRAP. "As the Trump administration threatens to expand its terror campaign against refugees nationwide, this court's decision is a clear rejection of these lawless actions."
"Refugees are legally admitted to this country and deserve legal protection. We are grateful that the Court issued its decision and is upholding the Constitution and the rule of law," said E. Michelle Drake, Executive Shareholder, Berger Montague. "Immigrants' rights are human rights, and no one deserves to be arrested or shackled when they haven't done anything wrong."
"Refugees came to the U.S. fleeing violence, and the United States promised them peace and safety," said Sarah Kahn, Senior Staff Attorney, CHRCL. "By targeting, persecuting, detaining, and seeking to deport refugees, the United States is breaking that promise. We are grateful that the Court continues to hold the U.S. accountable for keeping its promise to refugees."
"Refugees are valuable members of our community who have the right to live in safety and peace," said Michele Garnett McKenzie, Executive Director, The Advocates for Human Rights. "We are grateful to the court for recognizing their right to be free of this illegal and unjust persecution from the federal government."
Background
The Trump administration is illegally targeting lawfully present refugees with the intent of terminating their refugee status and deporting them. Before this court stopped them, armed ICE agents went door to door in Minnesota, arresting members of the refugee community and sending them in shackles to detention camps in Texas. There, many refugees were interrogated without access to an attorney and then released on the streets of Texas without money, identification, or any way to get home. Last week, the Department of Homeland Security released a memo claiming it is required to locate, arrest, and detain refugees who have not filed green card applications and appeared for an interview after one year, signaling it plans to enact Operation PARRIS on a national scale.
Resources
- Read the Preliminary Injunction: HERE
- Learn more about the lawsuit: HERE
- Learn more about the new DHS memo: HERE
- Watch a recording of last week's press conference featuring Sen. Smith and Rep. Omar: HERE
- For photos of the press conference, contact media@refugeerights.org
- Read IRAP's explainer of Operation PARRIS: HERE
- Access Know Your Rights information for refugees living in the United States: HERE
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The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.
The Advocates for Human Rights is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental human rights organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Advocates for Human Rights works in our home community and around the world to ensure access to immigration justice, end violence against women, abolish the death penalty, and protect the rights of LGBTIQ+ people. We are the Upper Midwest's primary provider of free immigration legal services for people fleeing persecution, torture, and violence.
www.theadvocatesforhumanrights.org
Berger Montague is one of the nation's preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. With more than $2.4 billion in 2025 post-trial judgments alone. The Firm is a leader in complex litigation, consumer protection, antitrust, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas.
The Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CHRCL) is a legal non-profit committed to protecting and advancing the rights of immigrants through legal action, advocacy, and education. Through impact litigation, we challenge unlawful immigration policies to drive systemic change and establish stronger legal protections for immigrants. At the local, state, and federal levels, we advocate for fair and humane policies that uphold the rights of all immigrants.
https://www.centerforhumanrights.org
