Lawsuit Alleges U.S. Shared Iranian Asylum Seekers’ Data with Iran

A lawsuit filed on Tuesday accuses immigration agencies under the Trump administration of sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government. The case argues that this violates national immigration regulations and jeopardizes the safety of many Iranians.

The lawsuit describes a coordinated effort between the U.S. and Iranian governments to identify Iranians in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. It alleges a campaign to pressure these individuals to return to Iran. This contrasts with the long history of diplomatic tension between the two countries.

Despite claims of data sharing, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied that asylum application records have been given to the Iranian government. In response, the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and the Public Citizen Litigation Group have filed a complaint, aiming to stop any future information exchange.

The lawsuit highlights a shift in U.S. policy, noting how Iranian dissidents have traditionally been welcomed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution when many fled Iran. Public records show that last year, approximately 600 Iranians were detained in immigration facilities.

One significant incident involved the deportation of an Iranian woman to the Central African Republic. This move was unusual, considering the U.S.’s usual practice of accepting Iranian exiles and dissidents.

Federal regulations prohibit sharing information that could reveal someone’s asylum status. These protections are vital as they affect lives directly. Ali Rahnama, interim executive director of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund, emphasized the importance of these rules.

Starting in March 2025, the U.S. State Department reportedly arranged regular meetings with Iranian officials, using the Pakistani embassy as a middleman. During these meetings, U.S. officials allegedly shared sensitive information about detained Iranian immigrants targeted for deportation.

Some of the shared details included asylum applications from individuals who claimed persecution for converting to Christianity, their sexual orientation, or participation in protests against the Iranian government in 2022.

The Public Citizen Litigation Group asserts that ICE forced detained Iranian asylum applicants to meet with an Iranian government official who had specific knowledge about their applications. This happened even after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran commenced in February 2026.

DHS maintains that ICE only assists with obtaining travel documents and facilitating “consular access to detained individuals” according to applicable laws and policies. DHS refuted the allegations, calling them false.

The lawsuit seeks to halt further sharing of asylum seeker information and requests an independent monitor to ensure compliance. Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group, criticized the administration, stating that the government seems more focused on deportation than safeguarding lives.

The complaint names the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, and the Department of State as defendants.

These allegations surface amid Donald Trump’s immigration policies, which resulted in over 600,000 deportations in 2025. The Iranian government admitted in September 2025 that around 400 Iranians might return under an agreement with the Trump administration.

In that month, deportation flights began returning Iranians to their home country. The last of these flights occurred at the end of January 2026, shortly before the conflict began and following Iran’s violent crackdown on protests.

The New York Times noted some deportees on these flights had been seeking asylum.