Case: National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

8:25-cv-03675 | U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

Filed Date: Nov. 7, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

This case challenges the agency decision that prohibits nongovernmental entities from providing voter registration services on or after naturalization ceremonies.    On November 7, 2025, Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Director Joseph B. Edlow, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Secretary Kristi Noem. The complaint challenged a new USCIS policy (Policy Alert No. PA-2025-2…

This case challenges the agency decision that prohibits nongovernmental entities from providing voter registration services on or after naturalization ceremonies.   

On November 7, 2025, Plaintiffs filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland against U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Director Joseph B. Edlow, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Secretary Kristi Noem. The complaint challenged a new USCIS policy (Policy Alert No. PA-2025-21) issued on August 29, 2025, which banned nongovernmental organizations from helping new citizens register to vote at naturalization ceremonies. The plaintiffs allege that the policy is discriminatory and mutes expressive conduct due to the administration's hostility towards nonwhite immigrants exercising their right to vote. The plaintiffs allege that the policy violates free speech under the First Amendment, due process and equal protection under the Fifth Amendment, and the APA. Represented by the Elias Law Group, the Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief. 

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Zainab Mustafa (11/12/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71891909/parties/national-council-of-jewish-women-greater-new-orleans-section-v-us/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Alerasool, Omeed (Maryland)

Branch, Aria C. (Maryland)

Lallinger, Lucas Wilhelm (Maryland)

Morrison, Tina Meng (Maryland)

Ryan, Katherine Chamblee (Maryland)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

8:25-cv-03675

Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

Nov. 7, 2025

Nov. 7, 2025

Complaint

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71891909/national-council-of-jewish-women-greater-new-orleans-section-v-us/

Last updated Jan. 8, 2026, 12:57 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number AMDDC-12343751.), filed by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Attachment A, # 3 Attachment B, # 4 Attachment C, # 5 Summons, # 6 Summons, # 7 Summons, # 8 Summons, # 9 Summons)(Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/07/2025)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

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2 Attachment A

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3 Attachment B

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4 Attachment C

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5 Summons

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6 Summons

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7 Summons

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8 Summons

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9 Summons

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Nov. 7, 2025

Nov. 7, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

NOTICE of Appearance by Tina Meng Morrison on behalf of National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section (Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/07/2025)

Nov. 7, 2025

Nov. 7, 2025

3

Local Rule 103.3 Disclosure Statement by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section (Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/08/2025)

Nov. 7, 2025

Nov. 7, 2025

4

MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Aria C. Branch (Filing fee $100, receipt number AMDDC-12346869.) by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section(Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

5

MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Katie Chamblee-Ryan (Filing fee $100, receipt number AMDDC-12346916.) by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section(Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

6

MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Lucas Lallinger (Filing fee $100, receipt number AMDDC-12346924.) by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section(Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

7

MOTION to Appear Pro Hac Vice for Omeed Alerasool (Filing fee $100, receipt number AMDDC-12346932.) by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section(Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

8

QC NOTICE: 1 Complaint filed by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section was filed missing summons for the U.S. Attorney General. **Please provide summons for the U.S. Attorney General under the "Notices" category, select the "Notice (Other)" event, and link filing to 1 Complaint. (hmls, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

9

Summons Issued 60 days as to Joseph B. Edlow, Kristi Noem, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Attorney. (Attachments: # 1 Summons, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons) (hmls, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

10

NOTICE by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section re 1 Complaint, (Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/11/2025)

Nov. 11, 2025

Nov. 11, 2025

11

Summons Issued 60 days as to U.S. Attorney General(kk5s, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/12/2025)

Nov. 12, 2025

Nov. 12, 2025

12

PAPERLESS ORDER granting 4 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Aria C. Branch. Directing attorney Aria C. Branch to register for pro hac vice filing in the District of Maryland through PACER at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ if attorney has not already done so. The Pro Hac Vice option must be selected when registering. Signed by Clerk on 11/13/2025. (mh4s, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/13/2025)

Nov. 13, 2025

Nov. 13, 2025

13

PAPERLESS ORDER granting 5 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Katherine Chamblee Ryan. Directing attorney Katherine Chamblee Ryan to register for pro hac vice filing in the District of Maryland through PACER at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ if attorney has not already done so. The Pro Hac Vice option must be selected when registering. Signed by Clerk on 11/13/2025. (mh4s, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/13/2025)

Nov. 13, 2025

Nov. 13, 2025

14

PAPERLESS ORDER granting 6 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Lucas Wilhelm Lallinger. Directing attorney Lucas Wilhelm Lallinger to register for pro hac vice filing in the District of Maryland through PACER at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ if attorney has not already done so. The Pro Hac Vice option must be selected when registering. Signed by Clerk on 11/13/2025. (mh4s, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/13/2025)

Nov. 13, 2025

Nov. 13, 2025

15

PAPERLESS ORDER granting 7 Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice on behalf of Omeed Alerasool. Directing attorney Omeed Alerasool to register for pro hac vice filing in the District of Maryland through PACER at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/ if attorney has not already done so. The Pro Hac Vice option must be selected when registering. Signed by Clerk on 11/13/2025. (mh4s, Deputy Clerk) (Entered: 11/13/2025)

Nov. 13, 2025

Nov. 13, 2025

16

SUMMONS Returned Executed by National Council of Jewish Women, Greater New Orleans Section. All Defendants.(Meng Morrison, Tina) (Entered: 11/18/2025)

Nov. 18, 2025

Nov. 18, 2025

Case Details

State / Territory:

Maryland

Case Type(s):

Election/Voting Rights

Immigration and/or the Border

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Nov. 7, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiffs are a nongovernmental agency, the New Orleans chapter of National Council of Jewish Women, that provides voter registration resources during and after naturalization ceremonies.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Non-profit religious organization

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Department of Homeland Security (District of Columbia), Federal

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (District of Columbia), Federal

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process: Substantive Due Process

Equal Protection

Freedom of speech/association

Other Dockets:

District of Maryland 8:25-cv-03675

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

Voting:

Voter registration rules