Civil Rights Lawyers Push to Revive Challenge to State Immigration Crime Law - Articles

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Civil Rights Lawyers Push to Revive Challenge to State Immigration Crime Law

Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Jul 10, 2026

The ACLU and National Immigration Law Center are asking U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson to reopen a lawsuit challenging Tennessee's new law criminalizing illegal immigration. Richardson dismissed the case in June, ruling that the plaintiffs did not have legal standing because they could not demonstrate that their removal orders were “valid” and “outstanding” as required by the law. In a Monday filing, lawyers offered new details showing their two pseudonymous plaintiffs, "Lucy" and "Benjamin," both have outstanding removal orders and therefore are at risk of arrest under the law. The filing argues that reopening the case is needed to avoid "manifest injustice" and a drawn-out appeal. Richardson responded Thursday, asking attorneys why they waited two weeks to seek expedited reopening and why they did not file a new case, since his dismissal was without prejudice. The Tennessee Lookout reports on the developments.