A US federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration from arresting and detaining refugees in Minnesota who are awaiting permanent resident status, ordering the immediate release of those already held in custody.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday by US District Judge John Tunheim, comes amid a major immigration enforcement surge in the Democratic-led state, where thousands of federal agents have been deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping crackdown. The operation has already triggered widespread outrage, following reports of two civilian deaths involving federal officers.
Earlier this month, US authorities began a review of the legal status of roughly 5,600 refugees living in Minnesota who have yet to receive green cards. The initiative, known as Operation PARRIS, was launched to reassess their eligibility to remain in the country despite their prior approval for resettlement.
In his order, Judge Tunheim said the federal government retains the authority to enforce immigration laws and review refugee statuses, but stressed that such actions must not involve arrests or detention. He ruled that the administration must carry out its review process “without arresting and detaining refugees.”
“Refugees have a legal right to be in the United States, a right to work, a right to live peacefully — and importantly, a right not to be subjected to the terror of being arrested and detained without warrants or cause,” Tunheim wrote. He added that such arrests had reportedly occurred in homes and during routine activities such as attending religious services or grocery shopping.
The judge also warned that America risks betraying its democratic ideals when fear is allowed to replace due process. “At its best, America serves as a haven of individual liberties in a world too often full of tyranny and cruelty,” he wrote. “We abandon that ideal when we subject our neighbors to fear and chaos.”
The decision drew a swift response from the White House. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a key architect of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda, criticised the ruling on social media, describing it as “judicial sabotage of democracy.”
Under the court order, any refugee detained under Operation PARRIS must be released immediately. Judge Tunheim emphasised that the affected individuals had already passed extensive security screenings, received federal approval to enter the country, and were legally permitted to work while awaiting permanent residency.
“These individuals were admitted to the country, have followed the rules, and are simply waiting for their status to be adjusted to lawful permanent residents,” the judge said.
