DHS denies allegations that ICE shared confidential immigration details with Iranian government

The Department of Homeland Security denied allegations Tuesday that it shared confidential immigration information with the Iranian government, after an Iranian American civil rights group made the claims in a lawsuit filed earlier in the day.

The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund accused the federal government of making an agreement with Iranian officials last year to periodically “share the immigration files and information of Iranians” in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and information on those seeking asylum in the United States.

"These allegations that ICE shared asylum application records with the Iranian government are FALSE," DHS said in a post on X. "ICE meets and works to get travel documents for detainees with every country.

"ICE is committed to ensuring that illegal aliens are informed of their right to communicate with their consular representatives," DHS continued. "Consistent with established protocols, ICE provides illegal aliens the opportunity to contact their consular post and facilitates consular access to detained individuals, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policy.

"We will continue to use all lawful options to deport illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists from American communities," the department added.

The lawsuit claims that many of the asylum-seekers are “pro-democracy protesters, members of religious minorities such as Evangelical Christians, or members of the LGBTQ community who seek refuge in the United States because of the grave dangers they face in Iran," and disclosing their information endangers the applicants and their family members, according to NBC News. 

The civil rights group is asking a judge to declare the alleged agreement as "unlawful" and to reopen the cases of those impacted to determine whether they’re entitled to asylum or some other form of relief.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.