MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge in Minnesota has made permanent a protective order shielding legal refugees from arrest and deportation, delivering sharp criticism of a Trump administration policy that he says transforms the ‘American Dream into a dystopian nightmare.’
U.S. District Judge John Tunheim on Friday approved a request from refugee advocates to convert a temporary restraining order he issued in January into a preliminary injunction as the legal case continues to unfold.
While the ruling only covers Minnesota, it comes amid broader concerns about a new Department of Homeland Security policy announced February 18 that was discussed during a court hearing the following day.
‘Minnesota refugees can now live their lives without fear that their own government will snatch them off the street and imprison them far from loved ones,’ said Kimberly Grano, an attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project, in comments to The Associated Press.
The Trump administration claims authority to detain potentially tens of thousands of refugees nationwide who entered legally but haven’t yet obtained green cards. A recent Homeland Security memo reinterprets immigration law to require refugees seeking green cards to return to federal custody one year after their admission to the U.S. for application review.
Judge Tunheim voiced strong skepticism in his 66-page ruling.
‘This Court will not allow federal authorities to use a new and erroneous statutory interpretation to terrorize refugees who immigrated to this country under the promise that they would be welcomed and allowed to live in peace, far from the persecution they fled,’ Tunheim wrote.
The judge emphasized that the U.S. made commitments decades ago to refugees escaping persecution, promising them opportunities to rebuild their lives following thorough background screenings.
‘We promised them the hope that one day they could achieve the American Dream,’ Tunheim stated. ‘The Government’s new policy breaks that promise — without congressional authorization — and raises serious constitutional concerns. The new policy turns the refugees’ American Dream into a dystopian nightmare.’
Neither Homeland Security nor U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided immediate responses to requests for comment Friday.
During last week’s court proceedings, Justice Department attorney Brantley Mayers argued the government should retain the authority to arrest refugees one year after their entry, though he suggested this wouldn’t occur in every case.
Tunheim highlighted the case of one refugee, referred to as D. Doe, who was detained in January after being told someone had damaged his vehicle.
‘He was immediately flown to Texas, where he was interrogated about his refugee status. He was kept in ‘shackles and handcuffs’ for sixteen hours. D. Doe was ultimately released on the streets of Texas, left to find his way back to Minnesota,’ the judge noted.
