A lawsuit filed Tuesday by the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF) alleges that the Trump administration shared confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government. The complaint, filed in Washington, D.C., asserts that this practice puts individuals seeking refuge in the U.S. from dangers in Iran at risk of persecution, torture, and death.
According to the IALDF, many Iranian asylum seekers are pro-democracy activists, members of religious minorities, or members of the LGBTQ community who have fled Iran due to significant risks. The lawsuit claims that disclosing their information to the Iranian government violates their confidentiality rights and endangers not only those facing removal to Iran but also their family members and acquaintances still residing there.
The complaint details allegations that the administration engaged in monthly meetings with Iranian officials to share immigration files of Iranians in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, including details about asylum applications and removal orders. While in-person meetings reportedly ceased before a conflict between the U.S. and Iran began on February 28, the IALDF claims ICE has continued to transfer document packages to the Iranian Interest Section.
The lawsuit also alleges that Iranian officials met with dozens of detainees in ICE facilities. The IALDF states that many of these detainees did not consent to these meetings but were required to attend by ICE. Detainees who met with officials reported that the officials possessed knowledge of their immigration cases, including asylum application details, which solidified their belief that they had been identified to the government they fled.
Federal regulations generally prohibit the U.S. government from sharing information that would reveal or infer that an individual being removed had applied for asylum. The IALDF is seeking a federal court order to prevent the government from providing further confidential information to Iran and to appoint a special master to review the files of detainees whose information has already been shared. The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
The IALDF notes that over 100 individuals have been deported to Iran during the Trump administration. The suit contends that the sharing of information has continued even amidst current tensions between the two countries.