1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

I am writing to ask you to take immediate action to stop the Trump administration's new policy allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest and indefinitely detain thousands of legally admitted refugees for aggressive rescreening purposes. A Department of Homeland Security memo published this week authorizes federal immigration officers to arrest anyone who has not yet obtained permanent residence and subject them to interviews assessing their refugee claims while in custody. This policy reverses a 2010 policy that stated failure to apply for a green card within one year of admission was insufficient basis for arrest or detention. Refugees undergo a process that can take years and includes extensive background checks, security screenings, and interviews. They followed the rules and were granted lawful status. Treating them like deportation targets is a cruel escalation that could expose hundreds of thousands of refugees to detention, even if they have committed no crimes. In Minnesota, federal judge John Tunheim blocked further arrests of settled refugees last month and ordered the release of at least 100 people arrested by ICE under Operation Parris, which targeted approximately 5,600 refugees who had not yet become permanent residents. Judge Tunheim stated clearly that refugees have a legal right to be in the United States, a right to work, and a right to live peacefully. The new DHS memo directly contradicts this judicial order. Congress has the power to stop this. I urge you to use every legislative tool available to block funding for these detentions and to pass legislation protecting legally admitted refugees from arrest and detention absent criminal charges. Refugees came here legally seeking safety. Congress must act now to stop ICE from turning that promise into a trap.