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

Immigrants' Rights
Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf
The 糖心Vlog, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration鈥檚 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 鈥 Challenge to Trump鈥檚 National Emergency Declaration to Construct a Border Wall
In February 2019, the 糖心Vlogfiled a lawsuit challenging President Trump鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 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 鈥渆xpedited removal鈥 orders in federal court.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2020

Immigrants' Rights
International Refugee Assistance Project v. Trump
The 糖心Vlog and other partner organizations filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Trump鈥檚 Muslim ban executive order, charging it violates the Constitution 鈥 including the First Amendment鈥檚 prohibition of government establishment of religion and the Fifth Amendment鈥檚 guarantees of equal treatment under the law 鈥 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 鈥 without a hearing 鈥 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鈥檚 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and work permit to resolve a lawsuit brought by the 糖心Vlog, the 糖心Vlogof Georgia, and Kuck Baxter Immigration in May 2017 against DHS for arbitrarily terminating Jessica鈥檚 DACA and rejecting her renewal application.
Indiana
Oct 2016

Immigrants' Rights
National Security
Exodus Refugee Immigration, Inc. v. Mike Pence, et al
The 糖心Vlog and the 糖心Vlogof 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鈥檚 actions violate the United States Constitution and federal law.
All Cases
174 Immigrants' Rights Cases

California
Oct 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Rodriguez, et al. v. Robbins, et al.
On October 29, 2015, a federal appeals court affirmed and expanded its prior ruling that immigrants in prolonged detention receive a bond hearing. In Rodriguez v. Robbins, a class-action lawsuit , the court upheld an order requiring bond hearings for detainees locked up six months or longer while they fight their deportation cases. The ruling stands to benefit thousands of immigration detainees across the Ninth Circuit, where an estimated 25% of immigrant detainees are held every year.
Explore case
California
Oct 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Rodriguez, et al. v. Robbins, et al.
On October 29, 2015, a federal appeals court affirmed and expanded its prior ruling that immigrants in prolonged detention receive a bond hearing. In Rodriguez v. Robbins, a class-action lawsuit , the court upheld an order requiring bond hearings for detainees locked up six months or longer while they fight their deportation cases. The ruling stands to benefit thousands of immigration detainees across the Ninth Circuit, where an estimated 25% of immigrant detainees are held every year.

Court Case
Jul 2015
Immigrants' Rights
RILR v. Johnson
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered a preliminary injunction that puts an immediate halt to the government's policy of locking up mothers and children from Central America 鈥 all of whom have been found to have legitimate asylum claims 鈥 in order to send a message to other migrants that they should not come to the U.S.
Explore case
Court Case
Jul 2015

Immigrants' Rights
RILR v. Johnson
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered a preliminary injunction that puts an immediate halt to the government's policy of locking up mothers and children from Central America 鈥 all of whom have been found to have legitimate asylum claims 鈥 in order to send a message to other migrants that they should not come to the U.S.

Court Case
Jul 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Escobar v. Gaines
On the night of October 20, 2010, Angel Escobar and Jorge Sarmiento were in their beds in their small, two-bedroom apartment in the Clairmont complex in Nashville. Several roommates and friends were in other rooms. The doors and windows were all shut and locked. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door and voices shouting "Police!" and "Policia!" When no one answered, the agents tried to force the door open. Scared, occupants hid. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began hitting objects against the bedroom windows, trying to break in. Without a search warrant and without consent, the ICE agents eventually knocked in the front door and shattered a window, shouting racial slurs and storming into the bedrooms, holding guns to some people's heads.
Explore case
Court Case
Jul 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Escobar v. Gaines
On the night of October 20, 2010, Angel Escobar and Jorge Sarmiento were in their beds in their small, two-bedroom apartment in the Clairmont complex in Nashville. Several roommates and friends were in other rooms. The doors and windows were all shut and locked. Suddenly there was a loud banging at the door and voices shouting "Police!" and "Policia!" When no one answered, the agents tried to force the door open. Scared, occupants hid. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began hitting objects against the bedroom windows, trying to break in. Without a search warrant and without consent, the ICE agents eventually knocked in the front door and shattered a window, shouting racial slurs and storming into the bedrooms, holding guns to some people's heads.

Arizona
Jun 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Lopez-Valenzuela, et al. v. Maricopa County, et al.
After a long legal battle the ACLU, on behalf of plaintiffs in Lopez Valenzuela v. Maricopa County prevailed by blocking further implementation of a law that for years did not allow judges to even consider bail for criminal defendants who were suspected of having "entered or remained in the United States illegally," and which applied to most state felony charges in Arizona, including relatively minor crimes such as shoplifting and possessing a phony ID. As a result of Proposition 100, which amended the state constitution, state courts were required to jail countless individuals who posed no risk of flight or danger to others.
Explore case
Arizona
Jun 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Lopez-Valenzuela, et al. v. Maricopa County, et al.
After a long legal battle the ACLU, on behalf of plaintiffs in Lopez Valenzuela v. Maricopa County prevailed by blocking further implementation of a law that for years did not allow judges to even consider bail for criminal defendants who were suspected of having "entered or remained in the United States illegally," and which applied to most state felony charges in Arizona, including relatively minor crimes such as shoplifting and possessing a phony ID. As a result of Proposition 100, which amended the state constitution, state courts were required to jail countless individuals who posed no risk of flight or danger to others.

Georgia
Mar 2015
Immigrants' Rights
Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, et al. v. Deal
On June 2, 2011, the 糖心VlogImmigrants鈥 Rights Project joined with the 糖心VlogRacial Justice Project, the 糖心Vlogof 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.
Explore case
Georgia
Mar 2015

Immigrants' Rights
Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights, et al. v. Deal
On June 2, 2011, the 糖心VlogImmigrants鈥 Rights Project joined with the 糖心VlogRacial Justice Project, the 糖心Vlogof 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.