The ACLU of Nevada and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles appeared in court last Friday in a legal dispute over the agency’s alleged coordination with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The case centers on public records requests filed by the ACLU, which claims the DMV failed to comply with Nevada’s public records law by withholding documents related to its communications with ICE. The court heard oral arguments in Carson City on whether the DMV must disclose additional records, including communications with federal immigration officials, and whether the agency violated state transparency requirements.
According to the ACLU, the DMV refused to provide any documents in response to the records request. The organization claimed that it was only after sending a formal demand that the agency produced a limited set of records, redacted and incomplete, allegedly omitting entire email chains and other referenced communications.
The ACLU claims records released reveal undisclosed cooperation between the DMV and ICE, including requests for personal information such as home addresses and vehicle registration data. The organization also alleges the DMV communicated with ICE using the encrypted messaging application Signal.
As part of the lawsuit, the ACLU is seeking a court order compelling the DMV to release all requested records in full compliance with Nevada law.
“When a government agency is communicating with ICE in secret, the stakes are not theoretical,” said ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah.
The DMV has not publicly commented on the allegations.
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