Trump Administration Targets Resettled Refugees, Escalating Threats and Harm to U.S. Communities

Refugee Congress strongly denounces the Trump administration’s latest assault on our neighbors and communities as it began arresting and detaining already-resettled refugees. This cruelty of this campaign further underscores the administration’s discrimination against refugee and immigrant communities and its disregard for public safety.

Operation “Post-Admission Refugee Reverification and Integrity Strengthening (PARRIS)” targets refugees who have already escaped violence and persecution, and who have already spent years undergoing thorough screening and background checks before being resettled in the U.S. The operation subjects certain refugees to “intensive verification” and re-examination, renewing a sense of fear and uncertainty in people who already received assurances of safety and who have become beloved contributors in their communities.

Once admitted, refugees are protected under U.S. law and international obligations, and are entitled to due process and stability - not perpetual re-investigation based on race, nationality, or political demands.

The administration states its “initial focus” is on 5,600 resettled refugees in Minnesota who have refugee status but are still awaiting their green cards. An estimated 100 recently-arrived refugees, including children, have already been arrested and detained, with reports of people being transferred to Texas without any due process or access to legal assistance. Some families are left without knowledge of their loved one’s whereabouts.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are terrorizing neighborhoods across the country – especially now in Minnesota – and are aggressively and illegally removing people from their communities, separating families, and endangering the lives of people who have already experienced violence and displacement. 

Additionally, the administration this week announced it will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia, affecting more than 3,500 Somalis – notably a majority of whom reside in Minnesota – and ban immigrant visas for nationals from 75 countries.

These policies and actions largely discriminate against black and brown refugees and immigrants, and are also causing significant harm to everyone in our communities – including U.S. citizens. 

“These actions are not about security; they are about intimidation and fear,” said Nili Sarit Yossinger, Executive Director of Refugee Congress. “By targeting refugees who have lawfully gone through the resettlement process, the administration is breaking its promise of safety and harming American communities. Our elected leaders must not allow this to continue.” 

Refugee Congress urges Congress to immediately halt funding for Operation PARRIS, end its support for ICE operations, and demand full transparency from the Department of Homeland Security, and ensure access to legal counsel and due process for all impacted refugees.