Immigrants' Rights
Featured
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2021
Immigrants' Rights
Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf
The American Civil Liberties Union, 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 ACLU 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 ACLU’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 American Civil Liberties Union 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 American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU 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 American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU 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
148 Immigrants' Rights Cases
Florida
Dec 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Peter Sean Brown v. Richard Ramsay
The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a natural-born U.S. citizen who was unlawfully detained — and nearly deported — as a result of a Florida sheriff’s improper collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Florida
Dec 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Peter Sean Brown v. Richard Ramsay
The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Florida, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a natural-born U.S. citizen who was unlawfully detained — and nearly deported — as a result of a Florida sheriff’s improper collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Michigan
Nov 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Hamama v. Adducci
The ACLU sued Immigration and Customs Enforcement in June 2017 after ICE agents arrested more than 100 Iraqis — including many who’ve been in the U.S. for decades — in raids throughout metropolitan Detroit.
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Michigan
Nov 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Hamama v. Adducci
The ACLU sued Immigration and Customs Enforcement in June 2017 after ICE agents arrested more than 100 Iraqis — including many who’ve been in the U.S. for decades — in raids throughout metropolitan Detroit.
Texas
Aug 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Reproductive Freedom
Garza v. Hargan - Challenge to Trump Administration's Attempts to Block Abortions for Young Immigrant Women
The ACLU has taken the Trump administration to court over its new policy of preventing young immigrant women from having abortions they want. The ACLU represents a 17-year-old woman who came to the United States without her parents and who is currently residing in a government-funded shelter in Texas. The Trump administration will not allow her to leave the shelter in order to get an abortion.
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Texas
Aug 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Reproductive Freedom
Garza v. Hargan - Challenge to Trump Administration's Attempts to Block Abortions for Young Immigrant Women
The ACLU has taken the Trump administration to court over its new policy of preventing young immigrant women from having abortions they want. The ACLU represents a 17-year-old woman who came to the United States without her parents and who is currently residing in a government-funded shelter in Texas. The Trump administration will not allow her to leave the shelter in order to get an abortion.
Court Case
Aug 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Rodriguez v. Swartz
On the night of October 10, 2012, after playing basketball with friends in his neighborhood of Nogales, Mexico, 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez was walking home alone when he was shot approximately 10 times through the border fence by a United States Border Patrol agent. Virtually all of the bullets that struck Jose Antonio entered his body from behind. He died on the sidewalk, in a pool of blood, only a few blocks from his home.
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Court Case
Aug 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Rodriguez v. Swartz
On the night of October 10, 2012, after playing basketball with friends in his neighborhood of Nogales, Mexico, 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez was walking home alone when he was shot approximately 10 times through the border fence by a United States Border Patrol agent. Virtually all of the bullets that struck Jose Antonio entered his body from behind. He died on the sidewalk, in a pool of blood, only a few blocks from his home.
Court Case
Jul 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Damus v. McAleenan
The American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Human Rights First, and Covington & Burling LLP filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s arbitrary detention of asylum seekers fleeing persecution, torture, or death in their countries of origin.
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Court Case
Jul 2018
Immigrants' Rights
Damus v. McAleenan
The American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, Human Rights First, and Covington & Burling LLP filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s arbitrary detention of asylum seekers fleeing persecution, torture, or death in their countries of origin.