The Trump administration has introduced a new policy that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain thousands of refugees already legally admitted to the United States for aggressive rescreening as they apply for permanent residence. According to a recent report from the Washington Post, this move is part of a broader initiative by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to ensure that individuals who have not yet obtained green cards can be subjected to in-depth interviews regarding their refugee claims while in custody.

This memo marks a significant shift from a policy established during the Obama administration in 2010, which stated that not applying for a green card within a year of entering the country was not sufficient grounds for arrest or indefinite detention. This new directive is aimed at increasing enforcement against refugees, raising concerns about its implications for thousands of individuals who have sought refuge in the U.S. and now face renewed scrutiny of their immigration status.

The implications of this change are particularly relevant to an ongoing legal battle in Minneapolis, where a federal judge previously halted additional arrests of settled refugees and mandated the release of at least 100 detained individuals. The DHS's recent actions can be seen as an effort to challenge judicial rulings that protect refugee rights and may further escalate tensions regarding U.S. immigration policies.