A new lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C., claims the Trump administration has been sharing sensitive information from Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government since March 2025.
The complaint, brought by the Public Citizen Litigation Group on behalf of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund, states that officials periodically mailed or hand-delivered immigration files to Iranian authorities.
Attorney Michael Kirkpatrick said the practice puts applicants at risk of detention, interrogation, prison or torture, along with their families in Iran. The suit alleges the sharing occurred even after monthly meetings between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Iranian Interests Section ended following a U.S. attack on Iran in February.
ICE denied the claims, stating it follows established protocols for consular access. The filing seeks a preliminary injunction to halt the practice and notify affected individuals.
Federal regulations require confidentiality of asylum records, the lawsuit notes, and it claims details from hundreds of detainees were disclosed.
