Any refugee who has not taken steps to obtain permanent resident status after one year of presence in the country may be threatened.

Thousands of refugees who entered the United States legally but lack permanent resident status risk being arrested and detained while their situation is reviewed, according to new guidelines from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

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https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/02/20/etats-unis-des-milliers-de-refugies-sans-statut-de-resident-permanent-menaces-de-detention-selon-de-nouvelles-directives-de-l-administration-trump_6667483_3210.html

The measure affects refugees who have not applied for permanent resident status, known as a "green card," after one year in the United States, according to a DHS memo filed Wednesday, February 18, in a case pending before a Minnesota court. They are now liable to be arrested and detained while their cases are reviewed—a further tightening of U.S. immigration policy.

In a statement, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), a refugee rights group, denounced "a radical break with previous practices that could affect thousands of refugees who have not yet received green cards." The organization is particularly concerned that "no time limit" has been set for their potential detention. The ministry justifies this change by citing imperatives of "national security" and "public safety."

7,500 refugees in 2026 compared to more than 100,000 per year under Biden

Refugees already undergo thorough vetting before being admitted to the United States, but Donald Trump has virtually eliminated their resettlement since returning to the White House, with the notable exception of South African Afrikaners, descendants of the first European settlers whom he claims are persecuted. His administration has capped the number of refugees admitted for fiscal year 2026 at 7,500, compared to more than 100,000 per year under the Democratic presidency of Joe Biden.

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https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/02/20/etats-unis-des-milliers-de-refugies-sans-statut-de-resident-permanent-menaces-de-detention-selon-de-nouvelles-directives-de-l-administration-trump_6667483_3210.html

In the case in which the DHS memo appeared, a federal judge had temporarily prohibited the Trump administration in late January from detaining refugees without permanent resident status. He ruled that the administration could enforce immigration laws and re-evaluate their status, but "without arresting or detaining the refugees," noting that they had already "undergone rigorous background checks."

This case concerns approximately 5,600 refugees residing in Minnesota, whose main metropolitan area, Minneapolis, was until recently the epicenter of highly criticized immigration enforcement operations. "Refugees have the right to be in the United States, the right to work, the right to live peacefully, and above all, the right not to be subjected to the fear of being arrested and detained without warrant or cause," the judge argued in his ruling.