Judge Blocks Trump-era Policy Threatening Refugee Detention

A federal judge halted a Trump administration policy that could have led to the detention of refugees in the U.S. lacking green cards after a year. Refugees and advocacy groups challenged the policy, citing it as unlawful and a shift from established practices. The judge agreed, preventing its enforcement.

A federal judge has blocked a controversial Trump administration policy that risked the detainment of thousands of refugees without green cards after their first year in the U.S. U.S. District Judge Richard Stearns, responding to a challenge by six refugees and two advocacy groups, ruled the policy as an unlawful shift from previous practices.

The contested policy, part of a program named 'Operation PARRIS,' was criticized for potentially impacting over 100,000 refugees with pending green card applications. The plaintiffs argued that the Department of Homeland Security's reinterpretation of the law led to unwarranted detentions, a view upheld by Judge Stearns.

This ruling represents a significant rebuke of administrative overreach. Critics highlighted that since the Refugee Act of 1980, 'custody' meant reporting for interviews, not detention. Despite initial plans to focus enforcement in Minnesota, the policy could have expanded to other states, generating widespread concern.

(With inputs from agencies.)