Tennessee Faces Court Challenges to Immigration Law and Redistricting

Civil‑rights groups, including the ACLU and the National Immigration Law Center, have renewed a lawsuit demanding an immediate halt to a Tennessee law that criminalizes unauthorized immigration after a federal judge dismissed a similar case. The suit seeks to block a misdemeanor that carries up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine for non‑citizens who remain in the state beyond 90 days after a final removal order, and it aims for class‑action status covering potentially thousands of immigrants.

In a separate federal case, a three‑judge panel denied a request to block Tennessee’s newly drawn congressional districts. The plaintiffs, representing Memphis voters, argued that the map split the state’s only majority‑Black district into three, violating the Voting Rights Act. The judges found no proof that race dictated the redistricting and concluded the plaintiffs had not demonstrated irreparable harm, allowing the new map to stand.

Both lawsuits highlight ongoing legal battles over state‑level policies in Tennessee, with implications for immigration enforcement and electoral representation.