Lawsuit Accuses Trump Administration of Sharing Iranian Asylum Seekers’ Data

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lawsuit filed on Tuesday accuses the Trump administration’s immigration agencies of sharing confidential details about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government. This action allegedly breaches national immigration laws and places numerous Iranians at risk, according to court documents.

The lawsuit suggests a coordinated effort between the U.S. and Iranian authorities to identify Iranians under Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. This pressure aims to return these individuals to Iran, marking a shift from historically contentious U.S.-Iran relations and an ongoing conflict.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) refutes claims of sharing asylum application details with Iranian authorities. Approximately 600 Iranians were held in immigration detention last year, as per data from the National Iranian American Council. In an unusual move in June, an Iranian woman was among those deported to the Central African Republic, marking a change in U.S. policy of accepting Iranian dissidents since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Federal regulations from the late 1990s prohibit U.S. officials from sharing information about asylum applications with foreign governments. Ali Rahnama, interim executive director of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund, stressed that these protections are vital for the safety of those affected.

Beginning in March 2025, the U.S. State Department conducted monthly meetings with Iranian officials, using Pakistan’s embassy as a mediator. During these meetings, U.S. officials allegedly shared sensitive details about detained Iranian immigrants. The lawsuit claims these individuals were persecuted for reasons such as religious conversion, sexuality, or participating in the 2022 Women, Life, Freedom protests.

“Congress made these confidentiality protections mandatory precisely because lives depend on them,” said Rahnama.

The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., alleges that Iranian asylum seekers were forced by ICE to meet with an Iranian official well-versed in their cases. These actions continued even after joint U.S.-Israeli military strikes on Iran ignited conflict in February 2026.

DHS released a statement affirming that ICE manages consular access and travel documentation for detainees per legal standards. The agency declared accusations of sharing asylum details with Iran as false.

The lawsuit demands halting any information exchange about asylum seekers with Iran and the appointment of an independent monitor to safeguard against future breaches. Michael Kirkpatrick of Public Citizen Litigation Group expressed concerns about prioritizing mass deportation over protecting lives during the U.S.-Iran conflict.

The lawsuit names several defendants, including DHS, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin. This suit emerges amidst President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation policies, resulting in over 600,000 deportations and 1.9 million voluntary departures in 2025, according to DHS.

In September 2025, Iranian officials acknowledged an arrangement that would see about 400 Iranians returned. Deportation flights continued through January 2026, right before the conflict with Iran began and followed by a deadly crackdown on Iranian protests.

Associated Press journalist Rebecca Santana in Washington provided additional reporting.