Chancery Court for the State of Tennessee, Twentieth Judicial District
Date Filed: October 30, 2026
Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition et al.,
V.
Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security et al.
This case challenges new rules implemented by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOS) that block many immigrants and refugees from getting temporary driver’s licenses, even when they have authorization from the federal government to be present in the U.S. Co-counsel include the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and Bass Berry & Sims PLC.
Update: November 3, 2026
The Court has issued a Temporary Restraining Order in this case, it can be accessed here. The order is temporary. Under the order, the Department is not allowed to require that people provide a visa or I-94 in order to get a license. Instead, the Department has to comply with its regulations and practice of many years and accept work permits and other federal documents as proof of federally authorized presence when issuing temporary driver's licenses. The Court will hold a hearing in this case on November 16. We anticipate having more information to share after this hearing.
