White House grants ICE power to detain refugees for aggressive ‘rescreening’

The Trump administration is granting ICE the power to detain refugees who haven't obtained green cards for aggressive "re-screening." This reverses an Obama-era policy that limited such detentions. The DHS memo claims existing guidance compels these arrests and detentions for review, stating refugee admission is conditional for one year. This move contradicts a federal judge's order in Minneapolis, where ICE targeted 5,600 refugees in "Operation Parris," leading to a class-action lawsuit and criticism of the detentions. Detained refugees can remain in custody throughout the inspection process. The policy comes amid a broader immigration crackdown, including plans for new detention centers.

A federal judge in Minnesota is considering extending protections for refugees lawfully residing in the U.S. who are facing potential arrest and deportation. Judge John Tunheim previously issued a temporary restraining order blocking the government from targeting these refugees, set to expire on February 25th. Refugee rights groups filed a lawsuit in January following the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services launching Operation PARRIS in mid-December. This initiative aimed to reexamine the cases of 5,600 Minnesota refugees who haven't yet received permanent resident status. The judge will hear arguments on Thursday regarding a more permanent preliminary injunction.