A federal judge has denied a preliminary injunction that was sought by the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition to stop traffic operations between the Tennessee Highway Patrol and immigration agents.
The lawsuit alleged that state troopers systematically used minor traffic stops to target Hispanic drivers in order to investigate their legal status in the country. It was supported by personal accounts by residents who described feeling intimidated by multiple agency patrols in their neighborhoods.
U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger concluded that operations can’t be paused at this time.
It was also noted by the court that under Supreme Court precedent, a traffic stop is legally reasonable with legitimate probable cause, despite any underlying motivations.
According to the official ruling: “In sum, on the current record, after weighing all four factors on a sliding scale, the court finds that TIRC, at this juncture, has not made “a clear showing” that it is entitled to a preliminary injunction.”
