Overview
- U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim issued a Feb. 27 preliminary injunction barring arrests or detention of refugees in Minnesota solely because they have not yet adjusted to lawful permanent resident status.
- The court found 8 U.S.C. §1159(a) provides no authority for such detention and flagged serious constitutional concerns, including Fourth and Fifth Amendment issues and the prospect of indefinite custody.
- The opinion documented specific incidents, including arrests, shackling, and transfers to Texas, as well as the detention of a Minnesota high-school student who was held overnight before release.
- A separate lawsuit filed Feb. 27 in Massachusetts challenges Operation PARRIS and alleges USCIS has refused to process some green-card applications, citing at least 5,600 Minnesota cases flagged for revetting and possible removal.
- DHS and USCIS condemned the injunction and said the policy will be defended in court, and as of now the government has not filed an appeal.