Immigrants' Rights
Featured
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2021

Immigrants' Rights
Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf
The Ƶ, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico and remain there while their cases are considered.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jul 2021

Immigrants' Rights
National Security
Sierra Club v. Trump — Challenge to Trump’s National Emergency Declaration to Construct a Border Wall
In February 2019, the Ƶ filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s emergency powers declaration to secure funds to build a wall along the southern border. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition. The lawsuit argues that the president is usurping Congress’s appropriations power and threatening the clearly defined separation of powers inscribed in the Constitution. On January 20, 2021, President Biden halted further border wall construction. Litigation in this and subsequent related challenges has been paused or deadlines extended while the Ƶ’s clients and the Biden administration determine next steps.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2020

Immigrants' Rights
Department of Homeland Security v. Vijayakumar Thuraissigiam
Whether immigrants are entitled to seek judicial review of their “expedited removal” orders in federal court.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2020

Immigrants' Rights
International Refugee Assistance Project v. Trump
The Ƶ and other partner organizations filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Trump’s Muslim ban executive order, charging it violates the Constitution — including the First Amendment’s prohibition of government establishment of religion and the Fifth Amendment’s guarantees of equal treatment under the law — and federal laws.
U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2019

Immigrants' Rights
Nielsen v. Preap
Whether the government can require that certain people are detained for the duration of their deportation proceedings — without a hearing — because they have past criminal records.
Court Case
May 2018

Immigrants' Rights
Colotl v. Kelly
UPDATE 5/25/18: The Department of Homeland Security has agreed to renew Jessica Colotl’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and work permit to resolve a lawsuit brought by the Ƶ, the Ƶ of Georgia, and Kuck Baxter Immigration in May 2017 against DHS for arbitrarily terminating Jessica’s DACA and rejecting her renewal application.
Indiana
Oct 2016

Immigrants' Rights
National Security
Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc. v. Mike Pence, et al
The Ƶ and the Ƶ of Indiana, on behalf of Exodus Refugee Immigration, filed suit against Governor Mike Pence and the secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to stop attempts to suspend resettlement of Syrian refugees, claiming the governor’s actions violate the United States Constitution and federal law.
All Cases
175 Immigrants' Rights Cases

Georgia
Mar 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, et al. v. Deal
On June 2, 2011, the Ƶ Immigrants’ Rights Project joined with the Ƶ Racial Justice Project, the Ƶ of Georgia, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Asian Law Caucus, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), and private co-counsel to file a lawsuit challenging Georgia's anti-immigrant law, HB 87, which was inspired by Arizona's notorious SB 1070. The Georgia law authorized police to demand "papers" demonstrating citizenship or immigration status during traffic stops, criminalized Georgians in their daily interaction with immigrants, and made it nearly impossible for individuals without specific identification documents to access state facilities and services.
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Georgia
Mar 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, et al. v. Deal
On June 2, 2011, the Ƶ Immigrants’ Rights Project joined with the Ƶ Racial Justice Project, the Ƶ of Georgia, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Asian Law Caucus, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), and private co-counsel to file a lawsuit challenging Georgia's anti-immigrant law, HB 87, which was inspired by Arizona's notorious SB 1070. The Georgia law authorized police to demand "papers" demonstrating citizenship or immigration status during traffic stops, criminalized Georgians in their daily interaction with immigrants, and made it nearly impossible for individuals without specific identification documents to access state facilities and services.

Alabama
Mar 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Smart Justice
Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama v. Bentley
The Alabama state legislature passed a draconian anti-immigrant law in June, 2011, the toughest of several state laws modeled after Arizona’s SB 1070. Like the Arizona law, SB 56 authorized police to ask for proof of citizenship or immigration status during a traffic stop based on “reasonable suspicion” that the person was an undocumented immigrant. The law went even further than Arizona’s, with provisions that required public school officials to verify the immigration status of children and their parents, that made it a crime for undocumented immigrants to solicit work, and criminalized Alabamians for ordinary, everyday interactions with undocumented individuals like renting a mobile home or offering a ride.
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Alabama
Mar 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Smart Justice
Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama v. Bentley
The Alabama state legislature passed a draconian anti-immigrant law in June, 2011, the toughest of several state laws modeled after Arizona’s SB 1070. Like the Arizona law, SB 56 authorized police to ask for proof of citizenship or immigration status during a traffic stop based on “reasonable suspicion” that the person was an undocumented immigrant. The law went even further than Arizona’s, with provisions that required public school officials to verify the immigration status of children and their parents, that made it a crime for undocumented immigrants to solicit work, and criminalized Alabamians for ordinary, everyday interactions with undocumented individuals like renting a mobile home or offering a ride.

South Carolina
Feb 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Lowcountry Immigration Coalition, et al. v. Nikki Haley
In 2011 South Carolina passed SB 20, a law modeled after Arizona’s notorious SB 1070. The law required police to demand "papers" demonstrating citizenship or immigration status during traffic stops based on "reasonable suspicion" that a person lacks legal status. It also criminalized South Carolinians for everyday interactions with undocumented individuals, such as driving someone to church, or renting a room to a friend.
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South Carolina
Feb 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Lowcountry Immigration Coalition, et al. v. Nikki Haley
In 2011 South Carolina passed SB 20, a law modeled after Arizona’s notorious SB 1070. The law required police to demand "papers" demonstrating citizenship or immigration status during traffic stops based on "reasonable suspicion" that a person lacks legal status. It also criminalized South Carolinians for everyday interactions with undocumented individuals, such as driving someone to church, or renting a room to a friend.

Indiana
Feb 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Buquer, et al. v. City of Indianapolis
On May 25, 2011 the Ƶ of Indiana, the Ƶ’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC). filed a class action lawsuit challenging a discriminatory Indiana law inspired by Arizona’s notorious SB 1070. According to the lawsuit, the law unlawfully authorizes police to make warrantless arrests of individuals based on assumed immigration status and criminalizes the mere use or acceptance of the commonly used consular ID card. The groups charged that the law would lead to racial profiling and trample upon the rights of all Indiana residents in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
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Indiana
Feb 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Buquer, et al. v. City of Indianapolis
On May 25, 2011 the Ƶ of Indiana, the Ƶ’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, and the National Immigration Law Center (NILC). filed a class action lawsuit challenging a discriminatory Indiana law inspired by Arizona’s notorious SB 1070. According to the lawsuit, the law unlawfully authorizes police to make warrantless arrests of individuals based on assumed immigration status and criminalizes the mere use or acceptance of the commonly used consular ID card. The groups charged that the law would lead to racial profiling and trample upon the rights of all Indiana residents in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Court Case
Feb 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Hernandez v. Ricketts
This is a lawsuit challenging a decision by former Nebraska Governor David Heineman to deny access to driver's licenses to young people who have been authorized to remain lawfully in the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Circumventing the state's law for promulgating regulations, Governor Heineman announced in a 2013 press release that DACA recipients were ineligible for driver's licenses in Nebraska. The lawsuit, which was filed on June 11, 2013, was brought on behalf of four named plaintiffs, all young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are DACA recipients.
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Court Case
Feb 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Hernandez v. Ricketts
This is a lawsuit challenging a decision by former Nebraska Governor David Heineman to deny access to driver's licenses to young people who have been authorized to remain lawfully in the country under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Circumventing the state's law for promulgating regulations, Governor Heineman announced in a 2013 press release that DACA recipients were ineligible for driver's licenses in Nebraska. The lawsuit, which was filed on June 11, 2013, was brought on behalf of four named plaintiffs, all young immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children and are DACA recipients.