POLICING PROJECT JOINS FIGHT AGAINST DISCRIMINATORY POLICING PRACTICES OF TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL

Tennessee law enforcement agency collaborates with federal immigration authorities for a discriminatory policing campaign that targets people by their race and ethnicity.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2026

Media Contact: Patrick Egan, Policing Project at NYU School of Law, press@policingproject.org, 718-551-6603

Nashville, TN — The Policing Project at New York University School of Law announced its partnership with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) to support its litigation against the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and its illegal practice of targeting motorists based on their race and ethnicity.

“The evidence in this case indicates THP troopers, working in tandem with ICE, are regularly stopping and detaining motorists based on their perceived race or ethnicity,” said Ian Mance, senior counsel at the Policing Project at NYU School of Law, who represents the plaintiffs. “We are partnering with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, which launched this action, to end this discriminatory practice as soon as possible.”

TIRRC gained access to dozens of hours of body camera footage of motorist traffic stops. Footage showed a range of demeaning conduct from law enforcement when they pulled over people of a race or ethnicity in immigrant-dense communities. Meanwhile, white motorists pulled over were often released without any vetting.

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The Policing Project at NYU School of Law promotes public safety through transparency, equity, and democratic engagement. Learn about the Policing Project at www.policingproject.org.