News & Resources
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2026
MEDIA CONTACT
Spencer Tilger | media@refugeerights.org
IRAP DENOUNCES EFFORT TO DETAIN AND STRIP ALREADY-RESETTLED REFUGEES OF LEGAL STATUS
Dangerous Escalation of Trump Administration’s Mass Delegalization Campaign
(New York, NY) – The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) strongly denounces the Trump administration’s lawless and inhumane arrest and detention of resettled refugees.
The following is a statement from Laurie Ball Cooper, Vice President of U.S. Legal Programs, IRAP:
“The Trump administration is separating refugee families who have legal status in the United States, making a mockery of due process, the constitution, and the basic promise of safety and protection in this country. It is beyond horrifying that federal agents are going door to door in Minnesota and unlawfully spiriting refugees away to Texas detention centers far from their loved ones, communities, and lawyers. These arrests are unconscionable, unprecedented, and mark an unlawful escalation of ICE’s assault on immigrant communities.
By targeting refugees who already went through the resettlement process to come to the United States, the Trump administration is attacking the very promise of permanent safety and committing the types of human rights violations that too many refugees have already survived. This is part of an intimidation campaign designed to put fear into refugee and immigrant communities and signal that no one is safe. Refugees, their neighbors, and advocates, including IRAP, will not be intimidated by this administration’s abuses – we are standing together and doing everything in our power to demand that the basic human rights of refugees and all immigrants be respected in the United States.”
Additional Resources
- Read IRAP’s updated guidance for refugees living in the United States: HERE
The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) is a global legal aid and advocacy organization working to create a world where refugees and all people seeking safety are empowered to claim their right to freedom of movement and a path to lasting refuge. Everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.
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