A federal judge schedules arguments for Thursday to determine whether to extend an order shielding lawfully present refugees in Minnesota from arrest and deportation.
Temporary Restraining Order Overview
U.S. District Judge John Tunheim issued a temporary restraining order on January 28, blocking federal authorities from targeting these refugees. The order expires on February 25 unless converted into a preliminary injunction. Tunheim determined that plaintiffs demonstrate a strong likelihood of success, deeming their arrests, detentions, and the underlying policy unlawful.
Launch of Operation PARRIS
Refugee rights groups filed suit in January following the mid-December initiation of Operation PARRIS by the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This initiative targets 5,600 Minnesota refugees awaiting green cards for case reverification, citing fraud concerns in state public programs.
Operation PARRIS forms part of a wider immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota, including a major deployment of federal officers—described as the largest such operation to date. White House border czar Tom Homan recently announced the end of the officer surge, with a limited federal presence continuing.
Lawsuit Allegations and Judicial Response
The lawsuit claims Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted door-to-door arrests under Operation PARRIS, transferring refugees to Texas detention centers without attorney access. Some individuals faced release on Texas streets, requiring them to return to Minnesota independently.
Tunheim dismissed government arguments supporting arrests of refugees not obtaining green cards within one year of arrival, calling it illogical since applications become eligible only after one year. He emphasized extensive pre-resettlement vetting by multiple agencies and noted no arrestees posed community dangers, flight risks, or faced deportable charges.
Case Example: Plaintiff U.H.A.
One plaintiff, identified as U.H.A., entered the U.S. in 2024 with no criminal record. Agents arrested him on January 18 while driving to work. “He was pulled over, ordered out of his car, handcuffed, and detained, without a warrant or apparent justification,” Tunheim wrote.
Judge’s Key Statements
The order, limited to Minnesota, halts further Operation PARRIS arrests and mandates release and return of detainees. Tunheim highlighted refugees’ legal rights: “They are not committing crimes on our streets, nor did they illegally cross the border. 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 in their homes or on their way to religious services or to buy groceries.”
He added, “At its best, America serves as a haven of individual liberties in a world too often full of tyranny and cruelty. We abandon that ideal when we subject our neighbors to fear and chaos.”
On February 9, Tunheim denied a government request to dissolve the temporary order.
