A federal judge has extended an order protecting refugees in Minnesota from arrest and deportation, criticising a new Trump administration policy as turning the 'American Dream into a dystopian nightmare'.
U.S. District Judge John Tunheim converted a temporary restraining order issued in January into a preliminary injunction while the case proceeds. The order applies only to Minnesota but referenced a national policy announced by the Department of Homeland Security on 19 February.
The Trump administration argues it can arrest tens of thousands of refugees who entered the U.S. legally but do not yet hold green cards. A Homeland Security memo interprets immigration law as requiring refugees applying for green cards to return to federal custody one year after admission for review.
In a 66-page opinion, Judge Tunheim said the U.S. had promised refugees fleeing persecution a chance to build a new life. 'The Government's new policy breaks that promise — without congressional authorization — and raises serious constitutional concerns,' he wrote.
The judge referenced one refugee, identified as D. Doe, who was arrested in January after being lured to a meeting and flown to Texas, where he was interrogated for 16 hours in shackles before being released with no means to return to Minnesota.
Kimberly Grano, an attorney with the International Refugee Assistance Project, said the ruling meant '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'.
