Immigrants' Rights
Featured
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2021
Immigrants' Rights
Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf
The Ůҹ, 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 Ůҹ 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 Ůҹ, 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 Ůҹ 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
183 Immigrants' Rights Cases
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.
California
Aug 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Lopez-Venegas v. Johnson
In June 2013, a class action lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of nine Mexican nationals and three immigrant advocacy organizations who challenged deceptive tactics used by Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to convince the plaintiffs to sign their own expulsion orders. All of the plaintiffs would have had strong claims to remain in the United States had they gone before an immigration judge instead of being pressured to choose "voluntary departure," one of the many ways that the government can swiftly expel someone from the country without a hearing.
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California
Aug 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Lopez-Venegas v. Johnson
In June 2013, a class action lawsuit was filed by the ACLU on behalf of nine Mexican nationals and three immigrant advocacy organizations who challenged deceptive tactics used by Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to convince the plaintiffs to sign their own expulsion orders. All of the plaintiffs would have had strong claims to remain in the United States had they gone before an immigration judge instead of being pressured to choose "voluntary departure," one of the many ways that the government can swiftly expel someone from the country without a hearing.
Court Case
Jun 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Galarza v. Szalczyk
In December 2010, the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project filed suit in an Allentown, PA federal court on behalf of Ernesto Galarza, a New Jersey-born U.S. citizen of Puerto Rican descent who was held illegally for three days in the Lehigh County Prison. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents requested his detention on the baseless assertion that he might be an undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic.
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Court Case
Jun 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Galarza v. Szalczyk
In December 2010, the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project filed suit in an Allentown, PA federal court on behalf of Ernesto Galarza, a New Jersey-born U.S. citizen of Puerto Rican descent who was held illegally for three days in the Lehigh County Prison. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents requested his detention on the baseless assertion that he might be an undocumented immigrant from the Dominican Republic.
Utah
Jun 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Utah Coalition of La Raza v. Herbert
Utah was one of five states to pass anti-immigrant laws in 2011. The Utah state legislature approved HB 497 in March, 2011 which, among other provisions, authorized local law enforcement officers to verify the immigration status of individuals they stop, made it a crime to transport or harbor undocumented immigrants, and allowed for the warrantless arrest of individuals an officer has reasonable cause to believe are subject to federal immigration deportation orders.
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Utah
Jun 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Utah Coalition of La Raza v. Herbert
Utah was one of five states to pass anti-immigrant laws in 2011. The Utah state legislature approved HB 497 in March, 2011 which, among other provisions, authorized local law enforcement officers to verify the immigration status of individuals they stop, made it a crime to transport or harbor undocumented immigrants, and allowed for the warrantless arrest of individuals an officer has reasonable cause to believe are subject to federal immigration deportation orders.
Arizona
May 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Valle del Sol v. Whiting et al.
(Formerly Friendly House et al. v. Whiting).
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the most hotly disputed part of Arizona's anti-immigrant law, S.B. 1070, which requires police to determine the immigration status of someone arrested or detained when there is "reasonable suspicion" they are not in the U.S. legally. The ACLU, along with a coalition of civil rights organizations, will continue to challenge the Arizona law on other constitutional grounds.
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Arizona
May 2014
Immigrants' Rights
Valle del Sol v. Whiting et al.
(Formerly Friendly House et al. v. Whiting).
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the most hotly disputed part of Arizona's anti-immigrant law, S.B. 1070, which requires police to determine the immigration status of someone arrested or detained when there is "reasonable suspicion" they are not in the U.S. legally. The ACLU, along with a coalition of civil rights organizations, will continue to challenge the Arizona law on other constitutional grounds.