International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)
@irap.bsky.social
The International Refugee Assistance Project helps #refugees navigate #resettlement processes & works to improve relevant policy. Links/Reposts ≠ endorsements.
Refugees and asylum seekers are being arrested in Minnesota and flown to Texas.
“It really is a campaign of terror. It is designed to scare people." - Laurie Ball Cooper, IRAP
“It really is a campaign of terror. It is designed to scare people." - Laurie Ball Cooper, IRAP
They were asylum seekers and refugees in Minnesota. Still, ICE detained and flew them to Texas to face deportation | CNN
Dozens of asylum seekers, as well as refugees who passed a rigorous, years-long vetting process before being admitted to the United States, have been arrested in Minnesota in recent weeks, immigration...
cnn.com
January 30, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Refugees and asylum seekers are being arrested in Minnesota and flown to Texas.
“It really is a campaign of terror. It is designed to scare people." - Laurie Ball Cooper, IRAP
“It really is a campaign of terror. It is designed to scare people." - Laurie Ball Cooper, IRAP
A federal judge has ordered ICE to stop illegally detaining refugees in Minnesota. This is a huge, but temporary win for refugee communities — we must ensure this practice ends for good! Call on your elected officials now to speak out against this injustice and oppose any further ICE funding:
January 29, 2026 at 3:39 PM
A federal judge has ordered ICE to stop illegally detaining refugees in Minnesota. This is a huge, but temporary win for refugee communities — we must ensure this practice ends for good! Call on your elected officials now to speak out against this injustice and oppose any further ICE funding:
BREAKING: A federal judge just granted a temporary restraining order stopping ICE from arresting refugees in Minnesota and ordering the release of those currently detained. This is a huge win for ICE accountability.
Read more:
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Read more:
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Court Orders ICE To Stop Unlawful Arrest and Detention of Refugees | International Refugee Assistance Project
refugeerights.org
January 29, 2026 at 12:15 AM
BREAKING: A federal judge just granted a temporary restraining order stopping ICE from arresting refugees in Minnesota and ordering the release of those currently detained. This is a huge win for ICE accountability.
Read more:
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Read more:
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
“I fled my home country because I was facing government repression,” wrote a plaintiff who was flown to Texas in shackles after he was abruptly arrested at his home earlier this month. “I can't believe it’s happening again here. It’s chilling and I'm scared.”
Article by @alexwoodward.bsky.social
Article by @alexwoodward.bsky.social
ICE is ‘hunting down’ Minnesota refugees with legal status: lawsuit
Lawyers ask federal judge to freeze Homeland Security’s Operation PARRIS as Trump administration alleges widespread fraud
www.independent.co.uk
January 28, 2026 at 4:58 PM
“I fled my home country because I was facing government repression,” wrote a plaintiff who was flown to Texas in shackles after he was abruptly arrested at his home earlier this month. “I can't believe it’s happening again here. It’s chilling and I'm scared.”
Article by @alexwoodward.bsky.social
Article by @alexwoodward.bsky.social
Happening tomorrow! There is still time to register through the link below.
Join us on Thursday, January 29 at 12pm EST for a virtual event that will shed light on the challenges created for refugees and migrants with disabilities after the first year of the second Trump administration.
Register today:
refugeerights-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register today:
refugeerights-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Resisting on Multiple Fronts: Refugees and Migrants With Disabilities Throughout the First Year of Trump 2.0 . After registering, you will receive a confirm...
On the occasion of the first anniversary of the second Trump Administration, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), in collaboration with other disability and refugee serving organizatio...
refugeerights-org.zoom.us
January 28, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Happening tomorrow! There is still time to register through the link below.
ICYMI: This weekend we sued the Trump administration for its unlawful arrest and detention of refugees.
"The lawsuit said... the government was using the operation to 'trigger a mass termination of refugee status' and to make refugees vulnerable to deportation."
"The lawsuit said... the government was using the operation to 'trigger a mass termination of refugee status' and to make refugees vulnerable to deportation."
They ‘Had Done Everything Right.’ ICE Detained Them Anyway.
www.nytimes.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:22 PM
ICYMI: This weekend we sued the Trump administration for its unlawful arrest and detention of refugees.
"The lawsuit said... the government was using the operation to 'trigger a mass termination of refugee status' and to make refugees vulnerable to deportation."
"The lawsuit said... the government was using the operation to 'trigger a mass termination of refugee status' and to make refugees vulnerable to deportation."
“The Trump administration is intentionally and illegally terrorizing resettled refugees who are not accused of any wrongdoing." -- IRAP Staff Attorney Kimberly Grano in
@startribune.com coverage of our latest lawsuit: www.startribune.com/class-action...
@startribune.com coverage of our latest lawsuit: www.startribune.com/class-action...
Class action lawsuit filed against federal operation targeting Minnesota’s legal refugees
Operation PARRIS is detaining the state’s new refugees for “re-examination” at the same time as the federal crackdown on illegal immigration.
www.startribune.com
January 24, 2026 at 7:43 PM
“The Trump administration is intentionally and illegally terrorizing resettled refugees who are not accused of any wrongdoing." -- IRAP Staff Attorney Kimberly Grano in
@startribune.com coverage of our latest lawsuit: www.startribune.com/class-action...
@startribune.com coverage of our latest lawsuit: www.startribune.com/class-action...
BREAKING: ICE is going door to door in Minnesota detaining refugees without explanation, probable cause, or due process.
Last night, IRAP, Berger Montague, @chrclla.bsky.social, @advhumanrights.bsky.social sued to stop ICE’s campaign of terror and intimidation.
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Last night, IRAP, Berger Montague, @chrclla.bsky.social, @advhumanrights.bsky.social sued to stop ICE’s campaign of terror and intimidation.
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
January 24, 2026 at 2:46 PM
BREAKING: ICE is going door to door in Minnesota detaining refugees without explanation, probable cause, or due process.
Last night, IRAP, Berger Montague, @chrclla.bsky.social, @advhumanrights.bsky.social sued to stop ICE’s campaign of terror and intimidation.
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Last night, IRAP, Berger Montague, @chrclla.bsky.social, @advhumanrights.bsky.social sued to stop ICE’s campaign of terror and intimidation.
refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Join us on Thursday, January 29 at 12pm EST for a virtual event that will shed light on the challenges created for refugees and migrants with disabilities after the first year of the second Trump administration.
Register today:
refugeerights-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register today:
refugeerights-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Resisting on Multiple Fronts: Refugees and Migrants With Disabilities Throughout the First Year of Trump 2.0 . After registering, you will receive a confirm...
On the occasion of the first anniversary of the second Trump Administration, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), in collaboration with other disability and refugee serving organizatio...
refugeerights-org.zoom.us
January 21, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Join us on Thursday, January 29 at 12pm EST for a virtual event that will shed light on the challenges created for refugees and migrants with disabilities after the first year of the second Trump administration.
Register today:
refugeerights-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register today:
refugeerights-org.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
With ICE now targeting resettled refugees in the US, knowing your rights is more important than ever. Legal resources about what to do if you encounter ICE are available in Somali, Tigrinya, Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, Dari, French, Haitian Kreyol, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili and Ukrainian.
January 20, 2026 at 9:32 PM
With ICE now targeting resettled refugees in the US, knowing your rights is more important than ever. Legal resources about what to do if you encounter ICE are available in Somali, Tigrinya, Spanish, Arabic, Amharic, Dari, French, Haitian Kreyol, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili and Ukrainian.
Today marks one year since the second inauguration of President Trump, a year defined by the dramatic escalation of abusive attacks on immigrants and the rule of law.
Read IRAP's full statement: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Read IRAP's full statement: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
January 20, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Today marks one year since the second inauguration of President Trump, a year defined by the dramatic escalation of abusive attacks on immigrants and the rule of law.
Read IRAP's full statement: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
Read IRAP's full statement: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
‼️ URGENT: Tell your elected leaders to demand the termination of Operation PARRIS and full transparency for any refugees arrested, detained, interviewed, or removed.
Take action now:
rcusa.org/urgent-actio...
Take action now:
rcusa.org/urgent-actio...
Urgent Action Needed: Denounce Wrongful, Discriminatory Refugee Arrests, Detention, and Attempts to Remove Thousands of Refugees from Our Neighborhoods - Refugee Council USA
rcusa.org
January 15, 2026 at 4:55 PM
‼️ URGENT: Tell your elected leaders to demand the termination of Operation PARRIS and full transparency for any refugees arrested, detained, interviewed, or removed.
Take action now:
rcusa.org/urgent-actio...
Take action now:
rcusa.org/urgent-actio...
"Nothing like this has ever happened before,” IRAP's Laurie Ball Cooper, VP of US legal programs, told @washingtonpost.com
about the detention of refugees in MN. “It’s very important to see this as an escalation of existing ICE attacks on immigrant and American communities."
about the detention of refugees in MN. “It’s very important to see this as an escalation of existing ICE attacks on immigrant and American communities."
They arrived as refugees but now are detained in Trump’s Minneapolis crackdown
Lawyers and immigrant advocates say dozens of legal migrants who arrived as vetted refugees and have protections from deportation have been detained in Minnesota.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 15, 2026 at 3:20 PM
"Nothing like this has ever happened before,” IRAP's Laurie Ball Cooper, VP of US legal programs, told @washingtonpost.com
about the detention of refugees in MN. “It’s very important to see this as an escalation of existing ICE attacks on immigrant and American communities."
about the detention of refugees in MN. “It’s very important to see this as an escalation of existing ICE attacks on immigrant and American communities."
Read IRAP's full statement denouncing the Trump administration’s lawless and inhumane arrest and detention of resettled refugees: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
January 14, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Read IRAP's full statement denouncing the Trump administration’s lawless and inhumane arrest and detention of resettled refugees: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
"Mr. Trump should confirm the legal status of all the Afghan refugees who came to the United States under the resettlement programs and reopen their pathways to permanent lawful residence here."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/o...
Opinion | The Cruelty of Trump’s Crackdown on Afghan Refugees
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:33 PM
"Mr. Trump should confirm the legal status of all the Afghan refugees who came to the United States under the resettlement programs and reopen their pathways to permanent lawful residence here."
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/o...
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/o...
Ahead of the 24th anniversary of Guántanamo's opening, IRAP joined 114 other organizations in a joint statement calling for the facility to be permanently closed.
Read the joint statement:
www.cvt.org/statements/g...
Read the joint statement:
www.cvt.org/statements/g...
Guantánamo Detention Facility Must Be Closed – A Joint Statement
Ahead of the 24th anniversary of Guantánamo's opening, 115 organizations signed this statement led by CVT and the Center for Constitutional Rights reaffirming that it must be closed, without repurposi...
www.cvt.org
January 9, 2026 at 8:40 PM
Ahead of the 24th anniversary of Guántanamo's opening, IRAP joined 114 other organizations in a joint statement calling for the facility to be permanently closed.
Read the joint statement:
www.cvt.org/statements/g...
Read the joint statement:
www.cvt.org/statements/g...
Reposted by International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP)
Minnesota communities are committed to welcome regardless of the federal government’s dangerous immigration enforcement actions that have harmed newcomers & long-time Minnesotans alike.
We are proud to join them & @cvt.org to elevate local voices & stories.
www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/up...
We are proud to join them & @cvt.org to elevate local voices & stories.
www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/up...
Uplifting Local Voices in Minnesota — The Refugee Advocacy Lab
For decades, communities across Minnesota have welcomed immigrants and other newcomers - a place to seek safety, raise their kids, continue their careers, and find a sense of belonging. These communit...
www.refugeeadvocacylab.org
January 9, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Minnesota communities are committed to welcome regardless of the federal government’s dangerous immigration enforcement actions that have harmed newcomers & long-time Minnesotans alike.
We are proud to join them & @cvt.org to elevate local voices & stories.
www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/up...
We are proud to join them & @cvt.org to elevate local voices & stories.
www.refugeeadvocacylab.org/resources/up...
We are proud to share IRAP’s 2025 Annual Report highlighting what we have achieved together over the past year: refugeerights.org/wp-content/u...
December 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM
We are proud to share IRAP’s 2025 Annual Report highlighting what we have achieved together over the past year: refugeerights.org/wp-content/u...
Punishing millions of immigrants because of their nationality is immoral, unlawful, and deeply un-American. We deserve policies rooted in dignity, justice, and evidence—not scapegoating. Tell Congress to repeal this racist immigration ban:
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
December 17, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Punishing millions of immigrants because of their nationality is immoral, unlawful, and deeply un-American. We deserve policies rooted in dignity, justice, and evidence—not scapegoating. Tell Congress to repeal this racist immigration ban:
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...
BREAKING: The Trump admin just expanded the #TravelBan. Read our response: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
December 16, 2025 at 10:36 PM
BREAKING: The Trump admin just expanded the #TravelBan. Read our response: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
“No one should live in fear that their government will target them because of who they are or where they or their families are from." - IRAP's Laurie Ball Cooper at today's @rcusa.bsky.social press call
Read the full release:
Read the full release:
Refugee Council USA, Elected Leaders, and Advocates Condemn Collective Punishment of Refugees and Immigrants
rcusa.org
December 9, 2025 at 9:52 PM
“No one should live in fear that their government will target them because of who they are or where they or their families are from." - IRAP's Laurie Ball Cooper at today's @rcusa.bsky.social press call
Read the full release:
Read the full release:
IRAP has signed on to a letter urging the Trump administration to immediately reverse the recent actions that target refugee, asylee, and immigrant communities.
RCUSA joins 130 organizations calling on the administration to reverse harmful policies targeting refugee and immigrant communities.
Read our full statement: https://rcusa.org/news-and-media/130-organizations-urge-administration-to-reverse-harmful-policies-attacking-refugee-immigrant-communities/
Read our full statement: https://rcusa.org/news-and-media/130-organizations-urge-administration-to-reverse-harmful-policies-attacking-refugee-immigrant-communities/
December 9, 2025 at 9:00 PM
IRAP has signed on to a letter urging the Trump administration to immediately reverse the recent actions that target refugee, asylee, and immigrant communities.
Important article by @apnews.com about the refugees affected by Trump's policies: apnews.com/article/refu...
Around the world, refugees are shut out of the US by Trump's new policies
When President Donald Trump suspended the refugee program, he left thousands stranded worldwide. Many had prepared for new lives in America, selling possessions and ending leases.
apnews.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Important article by @apnews.com about the refugees affected by Trump's policies: apnews.com/article/refu...
NEW: IRAP Explainer on New Trump Administration Policies Impacting Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Afghan Nationals, and Immigrants from Countries Listed in the Travel Ban: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...
IRAP Explainer on New Trump Administration Policies Impacting Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Afghan Nationals, and Immigrants from Countries Listed in the Travel Ban | International Refugee Assistance Proj...
refugeerights.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:04 PM
NEW: IRAP Explainer on New Trump Administration Policies Impacting Refugees, Asylum Seekers, Afghan Nationals, and Immigrants from Countries Listed in the Travel Ban: refugeerights.org/news-resourc...