Lawsuit Alleges U.S. Shared Sensitive Asylum Information with Iran

A lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. accuses the Trump administration of sharing sensitive information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government. The Public Citizen Litigation Group, which filed the suit, argues that the sharing began in March 2025.

According to the complaint, U.S. officials allegedly delivered immigration files of Iranian asylum seekers to Iran. This action, if true, could potentially endanger the applicants. Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney with Public Citizen, stated that U.S. law protects asylum seekers’ information from being shared, especially with the government they are fleeing from.

“The law is quite explicit: information within asylum applications must remain confidential,” said Kirkpatrick.

The lawsuit represents the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund. It points out that sharing such information jeopardizes the safety of those involved, as well as their families in Iran. They risk detention, interrogation, imprisonment, or torture if returned.

The suit further alleges that deportation relief and asylum application records were shared during meetings between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Iranian Interests Section. These meetings reportedly ceased following a U.S. attack on Iran in February, though document sharing allegedly continued.

Kirkpatrick claims the administration’s actions are based on detainees’ testimonies. They noted being called into meetings with Iran Interest Section officials who seemed aware of their asylum claims’ details.

This is also supported by confidential testimony from an Iranian government official, which NPR has not independently verified. Public Citizen plans to request a preliminary injunction to halt information sharing and notify those affected.

The Department of Homeland Security and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations have not responded to requests for comment. Federal regulations emphasize protecting asylum records’ confidentiality, implying that the supposed sharing violates those guidelines.

The lawsuit alleges that over a hundred Iranian detainees’ protected asylum information was disclosed. This includes personal details, political beliefs, and reasons for fearing the Iranian government. Such disclosures can lead to increased risks of persecution.

Normally, governments can share limited information about asylum applications to facilitate a person’s return, such as travel documents. Kirkpatrick highlighted that revealing details beyond this standard practice breaches confidentiality agreements.

He noted that revealing participations in pro-democracy protests, LGBTQ status, or religious conversion could pose severe risks in Iran. The administration has deported over 100 individuals to Iran and others to third countries, according to Kirkpatrick.