A new lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C. alleges the Trump administration is divulging details of Iranian asylum seekers to the government of Iran.

Lawyers with the left-leaning Public Citizen Litigation Group argue the administration began sharing information about the applications with Iran in March 2025. Since then, U.S. government officials have “periodically mailed or hand delivered immigration files of Iranians” in immigration custody to the Iranian government, according to the complaint.

“The law is very clear that information within an asylum application or other applications for similar forms of protection cannot be shared particularly with the government that the individual is fleeing,” said Michael Kirkpatrick, an attorney with Public Citizen, told NPR. Public Citizen Litigation Group is representing the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund in the suit.

“That information could put them in grave risk upon return,” Kirkpatrick said. “They could be detained. They could be interrogated. They could be sent to prison. They could be tortured. As well as the risk to their family and acquaintances who remain in Iran.”

The lawsuit also alleges applications for deportation relief and asylum applications were provided during monthly meetings between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Iranian Interests Section, the body that handles consular duties in the U.S.. These meetings, according to the filing, stopped after the U.S. attacked Iran in February, but the sharing of documents continued.

The Trump administration increased the number of deportees back to Iran just before the war between the U.S. began. Kirkpatrick said attorneys at Public Citizen believe the administration is sharing this information based on testimony with detainees in immigration custody. The detainees say they have been called into meetings with senior officials from the Iran Interest Section and officials already know information within their asylum claims, according to the complaint.

The lawsuit is also based on confidential information from an Iranian government official confirming the data sharing policy. This testimony has not been independently reviewed by NPR.

Kirkpatrick said the organization is planning to request a preliminary injunction to freeze the information sharing temporarily and for those whose information has been shared to be personally notified.