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

Court Case
Jan 2013
Immigrants' Rights
Disability Rights
Lyttle v. United States
Mark Daniel Lyttle is a U.S.-born citizen with mental disabilities who was unlawfully detained and deported to Mexico in 2008. His detention and deportation occurred despite substantial evidence available to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of his U.S. citizenship and mental disabilities, and despite his own claims of U.S. citizenship.
Explore case
Court Case
Jan 2013

Immigrants' Rights
Disability Rights
Lyttle v. United States
Mark Daniel Lyttle is a U.S.-born citizen with mental disabilities who was unlawfully detained and deported to Mexico in 2008. His detention and deportation occurred despite substantial evidence available to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of his U.S. citizenship and mental disabilities, and despite his own claims of U.S. citizenship.

New Jersey
Jan 2013
Immigrants' Rights
Smart Justice
Gayle v. Napolitano
Gayle v. Napolitano is a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of immigrants in New Jersey subject to mandatory immigration detention. The lawsuit challenges the federal government's policy of locking up immigrants in deportation proceedings without any chance for release on bail, even when they have strong arguments that they have a right to continue living in the United States.
Explore case
New Jersey
Jan 2013

Immigrants' Rights
Smart Justice
Gayle v. Napolitano
Gayle v. Napolitano is a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of hundreds of immigrants in New Jersey subject to mandatory immigration detention. The lawsuit challenges the federal government's policy of locking up immigrants in deportation proceedings without any chance for release on bail, even when they have strong arguments that they have a right to continue living in the United States.

Court Case
Oct 2012
Immigrants' Rights
Roy, et al. v. Los Angeles County
In October 2012, the Ƶ of Southern California, the Ƶ Immigrants Rights Project, and other partners filed a major class-action lawsuit against Los Angeles County and Sheriff Lee Baca, challenging their practice of detaining people and denying them bail based solely on immigration detainers.
Explore case
Court Case
Oct 2012

Immigrants' Rights
Roy, et al. v. Los Angeles County
In October 2012, the Ƶ of Southern California, the Ƶ Immigrants Rights Project, and other partners filed a major class-action lawsuit against Los Angeles County and Sheriff Lee Baca, challenging their practice of detaining people and denying them bail based solely on immigration detainers.

Court Case
Oct 2012
Immigrants' Rights
Reynolds v. City of Valley Park, Missouri
Passed in July 2006 by the Board of Alderman of the City of Valley Park, Mo., the town’s “Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance” seeks to punish landlords who rent to and business owners and employers who hire undocumented workers. The law also seeks to make English the official language of the city.
Explore case
Court Case
Oct 2012

Immigrants' Rights
Reynolds v. City of Valley Park, Missouri
Passed in July 2006 by the Board of Alderman of the City of Valley Park, Mo., the town’s “Illegal Immigration Relief Act Ordinance” seeks to punish landlords who rent to and business owners and employers who hire undocumented workers. The law also seeks to make English the official language of the city.

Court Case
Sep 2012
Immigrants' Rights
In the Matter of María de Jesus Ortiz Mejía and Other Respondents (El Balazo cases)
On the morning of May 2, 2008, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a coordinated raid on the El Balazo taquerias, a chain of eleven restaurants in the Bay Area. Although ICE was ostensibly searching for documents relating to tax evasion and harboring by the restaurants’ owners, the agents did not limit their search to documents. Instead, armed agents seized all the workers found on site and interrogated them at length about their immigration status. The ICE agents did not show the workers a warrant or explain what was happening.
Explore case
Court Case
Sep 2012

Immigrants' Rights
In the Matter of María de Jesus Ortiz Mejía and Other Respondents (El Balazo cases)
On the morning of May 2, 2008, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted a coordinated raid on the El Balazo taquerias, a chain of eleven restaurants in the Bay Area. Although ICE was ostensibly searching for documents relating to tax evasion and harboring by the restaurants’ owners, the agents did not limit their search to documents. Instead, armed agents seized all the workers found on site and interrogated them at length about their immigration status. The ICE agents did not show the workers a warrant or explain what was happening.