Immigrants’ Rights

A family of three smiles into the camera. The mom is on the left and the father is on the right. The daughter poses between them.

The fundamental civil liberties protections of the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution protect every person in this country — citizens and non-citizens alike. While the government has power over the country's borders, that power must be exercised fairly and humanely, subject to our constitutional norms and consistent with U.S. obligations under international law. At ACLU-TN, we work to protect and promote the fair treatment of immigrants in our laws and institutions, and to combat discrimination against Tennessee's immigrant communities.

The Latest

Press Release
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ACLU-TN Preparing Challenge to Anti-Immigrant Legislation

The ACLU of Tennessee is preparing to challenge legislation criminalizing local officials who vote in support of alleged "sanctuary policies."
Issue Areas: Immigrants’ Rights
Press Release
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ACLU of Tennessee Demands Mason Officials Halt ICE Detention Contract, Cites City’s Failure to Approve Contract

ACLU-TN sent a letter to Mason officials demanding they immediately stop all actions related to contracts with CoreCivic and ICE to operate an immigration detention facility. The letter states that the town failed to approve the ICE contract according to the terms of its charter.
Press Release
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ACLU-TN Files Lawsuit Challenging Criminalization of Local Officials’ Votes on Immigration Policies

Know Your Rights
Getting Ahead of the Trump Admin - Immigration

Getting Ahead of a Trump Administration | Immigration

Court Case
Jun 24, 2025

Capp et al. v. Funk et al.

Court Case
Oct 19, 2019

Tennessee v. United States

In March 2017, the Tennessee General Assembly exhibited an effort to block refugee resettlement in the state by filing a lawsuit against the federal government claiming that it violated the Refugee Act of 1980 and the Tenth Amendment.
Court Case
May 10, 2012

Juana Villegas de la Paz v. Metro Nashville Government

Court Case
Oct 19, 2011

Angel Enrique Nunez Escobar, et al. v. Lee Gaines, et al.