A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges the U.S. government unlawfully shared confidential immigration information about Iranian asylum seekers and detainees with Iran.
The suit, brought by the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and Public Citizen, claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and related U.S. officials—along with State Department officials—entered an arrangement with Iranian officials to periodically exchange “immigration files and information” concerning Iranians in U.S. custody. The complaint alleges that starting in March 2025, U.S. officials “mailed or hand delivered” document packages containing sensitive information, including asylum applications and final orders of removal, to Iranian officials.
The plaintiffs argue that the disclosures violate asylum confidentiality protections created by federal regulations, and that sharing the information could expose asylum seekers—some described as pro-democracy protesters, religious minorities, and LGBTQ individuals—to persecution, torture, and death if they are deported to Iran.
The Department of Homeland Security denied the allegation, saying it is false and describing its role as facilitating consular access and obtaining travel documents for detainees “in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policy.” The State Department did not comment on the litigation, according to reporting.
The lawsuit seeks to stop the alleged information sharing and asks the court to reopen or reconsider affected cases, including through an effort to have an independent review conducted to determine whether confidential information was compromised.
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