Trump Administration Detains and Questions Refugees Already Admitted to US

Overturning years of precedent, immigration authorities have arrested or questioned dozens of refugees in Minnesota, attorneys and advocates say, with more detentions likely to come nationwide.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Trump administration is detaining and questioning refugees who have already been admitted to the United States after extensive interviews and vetting. This breaks with decades of tradition, as the government is revisiting initial decisions to admit people as refugees and then detaining them while their status is under review. Refugees in Minnesota have been arrested or questioned by immigration authorities, with more detentions expected across the country.

Why it matters

Welcoming refugees has been a bipartisan agreement in the US since the Refugee Act of 1980, which made refugee applications one of the most heavily scrutinized parts of the immigration system. Revisiting refugee status that's already been granted is a major blow to legal tradition, advocates say, and could inflict grave harm on vulnerable populations.

The details

Immigration authorities have arrested or questioned dozens of refugees in Minnesota, with an initial focus on 5,600 refugees who settled in the state and are not yet permanent residents. Last month, three masked officers detained a Venezuelan woman and her mother, telling them their legal status was under review. In January, a federal judge ordered a temporary halt to the arrest and detention of refugees in Minnesota while a lawsuit challenging the 'revetting' continues.

  • In January, a federal judge ordered a temporary halt to the arrest and detention of refugees in Minnesota.
  • Last month, three masked officers detained a Venezuelan woman and her mother.

The players

Trump administration

The current presidential administration that is detaining and questioning refugees already admitted to the US.

Joe Biden

The former president whom the current administration accuses of prioritizing quantity over detailed screening and vetting of refugees.

HIAS

A major refugee aid group that says revisiting refugee status that's already been granted is a major blow to legal tradition.

Matthew Tragesser

A spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services who said refugees 'are REQUIRED to be subject to a full inspection after a year within the United States.'

Smita Dazzo

The deputy director of U.S. programs at HIAS who said 'Arresting, detaining, and rescreening refugees are all new changes which will inflict grave harm on vulnerable populations.'

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They've been heavily vetted and were admitted by the government with approval.”

— Beth Oppenheim, Chief executive officer of HIAS

“This is not novel or discretionary; it is a clear requirement in law.”

— Matthew Tragesser, Spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

“Arresting, detaining, and rescreening refugees are all new changes which will inflict grave harm on vulnerable populations.”

— Smita Dazzo, Deputy director of U.S. programs at HIAS

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the continued detention and questioning of refugees in Minnesota.

The takeaway

This case highlights the Trump administration's shift away from the bipartisan tradition of welcoming refugees, raising concerns about the legal precedent and the potential harm to vulnerable populations.