Lawsuit alleges US shared information with Iran about asylum seekers; US denies allegation

A lawsuit filed on Tuesday accuses the Trump administration of illegally sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with Iran's government, allegations the administration has denied. Lawyers from the Public Citizen Litigation Group filed the suit on behalf of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund.

The lawsuit claims the Trump administration implemented a policy last year to provide Iran with "confidential information from the immigration files of Iranians seeking asylum in the United States." It states that many asylum seekers are pro-democracy protestors, members of religious minorities, or the LGBTQ community fleeing persecution in Iran.

The suit alleges this policy persisted despite U.S. strikes against Iran, Iran's crackdown on protesters, and the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The Department of Homeland Security, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), issued a statement calling the allegations "FALSE" and asserting ICE's commitment to informing detainees of their right to communicate with consular representatives.

ICE has been central to Trump's immigration enforcement efforts, which human rights groups have criticized for violating free speech and due process rights, and for creating an unsafe environment for ethnic minorities due to concerns about racial profiling. Trump, however, frames these policies as necessary for reducing illegal immigration and enhancing domestic security.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, details how Iranian detainees reportedly told an "Iranian Interest Section official" that the official possessed knowledge of their immigration cases, including asylum application details. Since Iran lacks a consulate in the U.S., these functions were reportedly handled by the Iranian Interest Section within the Pakistani Embassy. The suit seeks an independent monitor to prevent future disclosures to Iran.

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These allegations that ICE shared asylum application records with the Iranian government are FALSE.