A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that U.S. immigration agencies illegally shared confidential information belonging to Iranian asylum seekers with the government of Iran, potentially exposing vulnerable individuals to retaliation from the regime they fled. The suit names federal immigration authorities and accuses them of violating laws designed to protect the identities and personal details of those seeking asylum.

Asylum seekers from Iran who applied for protection in the United States typically provide detailed personal histories, including information about family members, political activities, and reasons for fleeing — disclosures made under the assumption that such data would remain confidential. Attorneys and advocates involved in the lawsuit argue that sharing this information with Iranian authorities could place applicants and their relatives still inside Iran in grave danger.

The allegations come at a particularly fraught moment in U.S.-Iran relations. The two countries have been engaged in ongoing hostilities, and any cooperation — even inadvertent or unauthorized — between U.S. agencies and Tehran would represent a significant departure from standard diplomatic and legal norms. Legal experts say if the claims are substantiated, the breach could constitute a violation of federal immigration confidentiality statutes.

Immigration advocacy groups have urged the administration to immediately investigate the alleged data sharing and to take steps to protect affected individuals. The lawsuit seeks to halt any further sharing of asylum-related information and to compel disclosure of which records may have been transmitted and to whom within the Iranian government.

Federal immigration agencies have not publicly commented in detail on the specific allegations contained in the lawsuit. The case is expected to proceed through federal court, where attorneys will seek discovery on the scope and nature of any information transfers that may have occurred.