Immigrant rights group sues Tennessee Highway Patrol over motorist stops

The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Davidson County Chancery Court against the Tennessee Highway Patrol, claiming its practice of systematic roadway stops violates people’s constitutional rights.

The lawsuit alleges the Highway Patrol is ordering troopers to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to “deliberately and systematically” pull over people in search of civil immigration violations.

The lawsuit alleges the “tag-team” enforcement tactic violates the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable seizures and the Equal Protection Clause’s prohibition on racial profiling. It also claims this type of enforcement is outside the scope of the THP’s statutory powers.

“The THP’s programmatic use of this tactic has essentially turned some state roadways into immigration checkpoints and it has wasted THP resources that should be spent to make those roadways safer,” TIRRC senior counsel Mike Holley said in a statement.

The Highway Patrol’s troopers, working with ICE agents, used the profiling tactic in a sweep of South Nashville neighborhoods with large immigration populations in May 2025 and continues to employ the practice daily in Memphis, Holley said. THP’s presence in Shelby County was increased dramatically in September 2025 as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, a combination of local, state and federal agencies ordered by President Donald Trump.

Seven plaintiffs, including community leaders, activists and citizens, say in the lawsuit they are “disturbed” that the Highway Patrol’s use of systematic traffic stops has intimidated immigrant communities and torn apart families, in addition to hurting the nation’s reputation for fairness.

The lawsuit asks the court to declare the law enforcement practices illegal and prohibit the Highway Patrol from directing troopers to make traffic stops for immigration investigations.

“Regardless of race, immigration status, or where we live in the state, all of us are guaranteed the rights granted to us in the Constitution and we will continue to defend our community in the streets and in the courts when our rights are violated,” said Lisa Sherman Luna, executive director of TIRRC.