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
182 Immigrants' Rights Cases
Court Case
Feb 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Villas at Parkside Partners v. City of Farmers Branch
Beginning in 2006, the city of Farmers Branch, Texas, passed a series of housing ordinances restricting an individual’s ability to rent housing based on immigration status. The most recent ordinance required all prospective renters to provide proof of immigration status to be verified by the federal government in order to obtain a rental license. It also authorized the city to revoke the rental license of anyone found to be unlawfully present in the United States.
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Court Case
Feb 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Villas at Parkside Partners v. City of Farmers Branch
Beginning in 2006, the city of Farmers Branch, Texas, passed a series of housing ordinances restricting an individual’s ability to rent housing based on immigration status. The most recent ordinance required all prospective renters to provide proof of immigration status to be verified by the federal government in order to obtain a rental license. It also authorized the city to revoke the rental license of anyone found to be unlawfully present in the United States.
Court Case
Jan 2015
Immigrants' Rights
M.S.P.C. v. Johnson
The Ƶ, American Immigration Council, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and National Immigration Law Center voluntarily dismissed its case against the federal government that challenged its policies denying a fair deportation process to mothers and children who have fled extreme violence, death threats, rape, and persecution in Central America and come to the United States seeking safety.
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Court Case
Jan 2015
Immigrants' Rights
M.S.P.C. v. Johnson
The Ƶ, American Immigration Council, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and National Immigration Law Center voluntarily dismissed its case against the federal government that challenged its policies denying a fair deportation process to mothers and children who have fled extreme violence, death threats, rape, and persecution in Central America and come to the United States seeking safety.
Court Case
Jan 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Rivera v. Holder
Rivera v. Holder is a class action lawsuit filed in Washington State challenging the immigration courts’ policy of refusing to release immigrants from detention unless they post a minimum $1,500 bond. The result of this policy is that indigent and low-income immigrants stay locked-up—at taxpayer expense—even when they pose no danger to anyone, and can be effectively supervised in the community.
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Court Case
Jan 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Rivera v. Holder
Rivera v. Holder is a class action lawsuit filed in Washington State challenging the immigration courts’ policy of refusing to release immigrants from detention unless they post a minimum $1,500 bond. The result of this policy is that indigent and low-income immigrants stay locked-up—at taxpayer expense—even when they pose no danger to anyone, and can be effectively supervised in the community.
Court Case
Oct 2014
Immigrants' Rights
American Immigration Council, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild and the Ƶ v. The Department of Homeland Security
The Ƶ filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation to compel the release of documents regarding the use of the expedited removal process against families with children, including those detained at the family detention center in Artesia, New Mexico. To date, the government has not publicly released critical information about the policies and procedures governing its operations at the Artesia facility, despite the potentially life-threatening consequences for the women and children detained there. The release of these policies and procedures is particularly urgent given that the government has opened another family detention center in Karnes, Texas and has announced plans to open a massive 2,400-bed family detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
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Court Case
Oct 2014
Immigrants' Rights
American Immigration Council, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild and the Ƶ v. The Department of Homeland Security
The Ƶ filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation to compel the release of documents regarding the use of the expedited removal process against families with children, including those detained at the family detention center in Artesia, New Mexico. To date, the government has not publicly released critical information about the policies and procedures governing its operations at the Artesia facility, despite the potentially life-threatening consequences for the women and children detained there. The release of these policies and procedures is particularly urgent given that the government has opened another family detention center in Karnes, Texas and has announced plans to open a massive 2,400-bed family detention facility in Dilley, Texas.
California
Sep 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Gonzalez v. ICE
Gonzalez v. ICE is a proposed class action lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"), brought by two U.S. citizens—Gerardo Gonzalez and Simon Chinivizyan—who were subjected to ICE detainers while in custody in Los Angeles County. The lawsuit challenges ICE's practice of lodging detainers—and thereby causing people's extended detention—without a probable cause determination, in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
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California
Sep 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Gonzalez v. ICE
Gonzalez v. ICE is a proposed class action lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"), brought by two U.S. citizens—Gerardo Gonzalez and Simon Chinivizyan—who were subjected to ICE detainers while in custody in Los Angeles County. The lawsuit challenges ICE's practice of lodging detainers—and thereby causing people's extended detention—without a probable cause determination, in violation of the Fourth Amendment.