ACLU of Tennessee

A federal court denied a motion to block Tennessee’s newly drawn congressional map, which splits Memphis into three districts. The plaintiffs, including civil rights groups, argue the map suppresses Black voting power but will continue their lawsuit.

A three-judge panel heard arguments on Tennessee's redistricting map. The ACLU of Tennessee, Memphis voters, and the American Civil Liberties Union allege intentional discrimination, seeking to block the map before elections. The new map divides Memphis and Shelby County into three sections, reducing the state's last majority-Black district, following a Supreme Court ruling that weakened protections under the Voting Rights Act.

Volunteer observers documenting activities of the Memphis Safe Task Force report harassment, surveillance, and intimidation, including being followed, assaulted, and ordered to stay 25 feet away under Tennessee's 'Halo Law'. The ACLU of Tennessee filed a lawsuit alleging First Amendment violations, citing a pattern of retaliation against bystanders recording traffic stops and arrests by the 31-agency task force.

A three-judge panel dismissed a lawsuit challenging Tennessee’s new congressional maps, which were redrawn to split majority-Black Memphis into three districts. The NAACP and other plaintiffs argued the maps diluted Black voting power, but the court ruled the redistricting process was protected by sovereign immunity and lacked sufficient injury claims. Additional federal challenges remain pending.

Three lawsuits challenge Tennessee's new congressional district map, which eliminates the state's only majority-Black district. A federal judge denied a temporary restraining order and combined the cases, as the Republican-led legislature passed the map after a special session called by the governor at Trump's instruction. The new map's implementation faces legal hurdles ahead of the August primary.