White House Grants ICE Power for Aggressive Refugee “Rescreening” and Detention
The Trump administration is initiating a policy allowing for the arrest and indefinite detention of thousands of refugees already legally admitted to the U.S. This aggressive “rescreening” process, dubbed “Operation Parris,” targets individuals who have not yet obtained permanent residency. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo, which reverses prior Obama-era policy, enables federal immigration officers to subject these refugees to interviews while in custody, potentially prolonging their detention. This initiative appears to directly challenge a recent federal court order that blocked similar arrests and mandated the release of refugees in Minnesota. Humanitarian organizations have decried this move as an unprecedented reversal of refugee law and a breach of trust with vulnerable populations.
John Q. Hosedrinker