Legal Challenge Against Trump’s Refugee Policies

The Trump administration is facing a proposed class action lawsuit aiming to halt policies that have frozen green card applications for thousands of refugees already admitted to the U.S. The lawsuit, filed by six refugee organizations and four individual refugees in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenges policies set by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Policies Under Scrutiny

The lawsuit targets three specific policies: an indefinite hold on certain refugees’ applications for lawful permanent residence, a program for re-vetting refugees admitted during the Biden administration, and a new rule reducing the response time for refugees to contest termination of their status from 30 days to 10 days.

Plaintiffs claim these policies breach federal immigration and administrative laws as well as constitutional due-process protections. They requested emergency relief from the court, including an immediate stay on the new 10-day termination rule. This request was prompted by a recent instance where a refugee received a termination notice and may lose status while the court reviews the larger case.

What Plaintiffs Seek

Plaintiffs want the court to suspend the policies while the case is ongoing and eventually invalidate them. They are also seeking certification for a nationwide class of refugees admitted to the U.S. who have not yet adjusted to lawful permanent resident status, estimating tens of thousands of individuals as part of this group. Class certification by the court is still pending.

Individual plaintiffs include:

• Lida A., a 27-year-old Afghan refugee in Massachusetts who worked for a U.S.-funded organization before fleeing due to the Taliban.
• Abdi B., a 39-year-old Ethiopian refugee in Minnesota, detained during Operation PARRIS and later released by court order.
• Julio C., a 26-year-old Colombian refugee in Texas who relies on Medicaid for HIV treatment.
• Firas D., a 23-year-old Iraqi refugee in Texas, arrested in Iraq due to his sexual orientation.

Organizations involved in the lawsuit include Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, International Institute of New England, African Communities Together, HIAS, and Refugee Council USA.

Challenged USCIS Policies

The case disputes a USCIS memo dated November 21, 2025, which put a hold on pending green card applications from refugees admitted between January 20, 2021, and February 20, 2025. This memo also called for a review and possible re-interviews of refugees admitted during that period, citing national security concerns. Plaintiffs argue that broader concerns about already vetted and admitted refugees are unsubstantiated.

“The Trump-Vance administration is trapping refugees in cruel legal limbo by blocking their path to permanent residency while simultaneously making it easier to strip them of their lawful status,” said Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward.

Changes Under Trump

According to DHS, approximately 113,000 refugees have pending adjustment applications. Comparatively, USCIS processed 121 refugee adjustments between January and March this year, against 17,569 during the same period in 2025. Before these changes, the average processing time was 7.8 months in the third quarter of 2025.

Federal law requires refugees to reside in the U.S. for at least one year before qualifying for lawful permanent residence, with an admissibility examination. Plaintiffs contend that while the government can address admissibility during this process, it lacks the authority for indefinite holds or mandatory group re-vetting.

Operation PARRIS

Operation PARRIS launched in January, targeting 5,600 refugees in Minnesota without green cards. Those refugees were subjected to additional background checks. Some were detained and transferred to Texas for interviews. A Minnesota judge later blocked detention for unadjusted refugees, and a Massachusetts federal court stayed a separate nationwide detention policy. In October, DHS announced an interim final rule cutting the response period for a Notice of Intent to Terminate refugee status to 10 days, effective immediately, although initially open for public comments for 30 days. DHS stated this change ensures immigration system integrity and reduces fraud risks. Plaintiffs argue the 10-day timeframe is insufficient to gather necessary documentation and support, pointing out that a basic Freedom of Information Act request processing took 27 days in 2025.

Contact Information

For additional information, Newsweek editors Matthew Cannon and Shakeema Edwards can be contacted.