Senator Markey, Rep. Ansari Demand Trump Admin. Institute Protections for Iranian Nationals Residing in the United States

Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (April 23, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) today wrote to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Joseph Edlow urging the Trump administration to immediately institute protections for Iranian nationals currently in the United States who cannot return home safely. The Islamic Republic of Iran's brutal crackdown on nationwide protests earlier this year deepened the country's already-dire human rights crisis, while the recent U.S. military attack has intensified the security situation.

The lawmakers caution the Administration against forcibly returning Iranian families in the United States to Iran-where they face the dual threat of the regime's humanitarian abuses and dangers a resumption of the war poses-and urge officials to pause deportation flights and designate Iranians for temporary protection, such as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote, "Having initiated the current war with Iran, the Trump administration bears a moral and humanitarian responsibility to provide Iranian nationals with an immediate shield from removal. For one, the Administration could heed prior calls by members of Congress to end deportation flights to Iran. Moreover, the Administration has the authority to designate Iran for TPS, a humanitarian designation that provides protection from removal for individuals from countries facing civil unrest, violence, or natural disasters."

The lawmakers requested answers by May 6, 2026, to questions including:

• How does the Administration justify removing individuals to Iran at this time, given the State Department's designation of the country as "Level 4: Do Not Travel"?
• Has the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of State taken any steps to evaluate whether Iran's current conditions warrant a TPS or DED designation?
• Before the Administration began deportation flights to Tehran last year, what guarantees did the Islamic Republic regime provide to the United States that returned individuals-in particular, historically persecuted groups such as the LGBTQ+ community-would not face persecution, execution, or torture?
• Following its January 1, 2026, policy memo preventing routine immigration processing for Iranians, what justification does USCIS provide for maintaining this pause on benefit requests? Has USCIS taken into consideration events since January 1, 2026, including the Islamic Republic regime's massacre of protesters or the U.S. attack on the country?
• What criteria is USCIS using to review anew any immigration benefits Iranian nationals received on or after January 20, 2021? Has USCIS complied with its 90-day timeline for issuing operational guidance and preparing a list of individuals for review, interview, re-interview and referral to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)?

The letter was co-signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Representatives Dan Goldman (NY-10), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Dave Min (CA-47), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Brad Sherman (CA-32), and Lateefah Simon (CA-12).

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