Filed Date: May 4, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding in progress
(This summary is temporary while we research the case.)
On May 4, 2026, two Honduran nationals residing in Austin, Texas filed this putative class action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas against the Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), in his official capacity. The plaintiffs challenged Texas Senate Bill 4 (S.B. 4), signed into law on December 18, 2023, which created a parallel state immigration enforcement system by establishing three new criminal offenses, including Illegal Reentry by Certain Aliens, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and authorizing state courts to issue orders directing noncitizens to return to foreign nations.
The complaint alleged that S.B. 4 is preempted by federal law under the Supremacy Clause because immigration enforcement is exclusively a federal authority, and that the law conflicts with the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which provides a comprehensive federal framework for immigration enforcement and humanitarian protections. Notably, the complaint alleged that Governor Abbott admitted S.B. 4 was drafted to be consistent with the dissent in Arizona v. United States, implicitly conceding its inconsistency with binding Supreme Court precedent, and that the former DPS Director estimated approximately 72,000 arrests per year under the law. Plaintiffs sought declaratory relief, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief barring enforcement of the law's reentry and refusal-to-comply provisions, and any other relief the Court deemed appropriate.
This case is ongoing.
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73290008/parties/lml-v-martin/
Amdur, Spencer (Texas)
Donatti, David A. (Texas)
Gelernt, Lee (Texas)
Hatoum, Daniel (Texas)
Kumar, Kate Gibson (Texas)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73290008/lml-v-martin/
Last updated May 7, 2026, 4:41 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations Involving the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 4, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Case Details
Other Dockets:
Western District of Texas 1:26-cv-01170
Available Documents:
Case Summary of L.M.L v. Martin, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48135/.