A Carson City judge has put the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles on the clock, ordering the agency to turn over its communications with federal immigration officials after a lawsuit from the ACLU of Nevada accused the DMV of withholding public records about its coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The ACLU says the few documents it did receive were so heavily redacted they were almost useless, yet still referenced encrypted Signal chats and requests for personal data such as home addresses and vehicle registration information. Judge Kristin Luis signaled she may consider civil penalties if the DMV fails to fully comply.
Judge Gives DMV Five Days To Hand Over Records
Carson City District Court Judge Kristin Luis told attorneys she wants to see the complete, unredacted files herself and gave the DMV five days to either produce the communications or submit detailed privilege logs explaining every redaction. “I have to say, based upon what I’ve reviewed so far, I’m leaning towards a penalty, but I want to see all the records produced,” she said in court, according to Nevada Current. Her order covers records involving both U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.
ACLU Says Redactions And Signal Chats Are A Red Flag
The ACLU of Nevada traces the fight back to months of public-records requests that either drew no response at all or produced a thin batch of documents blacked out so heavily that entire email chains simply vanished. What did get through, the group argues, points to undisclosed cooperation with ICE, including requests for addresses and vehicle-registration data, and mentions of group chats on the encrypted app Signal. “When a government agency is communicating with ICE in secret, the stakes are not theoretical,” ACLU Executive Director Athar Haseebullah said in a statement. Details of the case are laid out by the ACLU of Nevada.
DMV Defense Meets A Skeptical Court
The attorney general’s office, representing the DMV, told the court that the agency’s records custodian initially believed the requested communications were confidential and that Signal chats are not stored on state servers. Deputy Attorney General Abigail Pace argued that searching employees’ personal devices for those messages would invade their privacy. Judge Luis, however, pressed for sworn declarations explaining exactly how the agency searched for records, and ordered the DMV to turn over unredacted names and email addresses of anyone who communicated with or about ICE or DHS, according to The Nevada Independent. The court also directed the DMV to produce group emails that are referenced in existing records but have not yet been provided.
State Law Already Limits What DMV Can Share With ICE
Nevada law already tries to fence off how much personal information the DMV can feed into immigration enforcement. AB 407, passed in 2023, bars the agency from releasing personal data for immigration enforcement unless the person signs a written release or there is a court order, subpoena or warrant, and it says the DMV can share no more information than is necessary to meet that legal demand, as outlined in Nevada Statutes (AB 407).
Why Drivers And Families Are Watching Closely
Advocates point out that the DMV is essentially sitting on a gold mine of Nevadans’ personal data, from addresses to vehicle information, and that quiet coordination with federal immigration authorities could discourage people from using DMV services or leave them more vulnerable to enforcement actions. The ACLU is pushing for transparency and an independent review, arguing that encrypted, auto-deleting messaging could let officials sidestep public-records laws, a central allegation in its complaint. The lawsuit was first reported by Hoodline in August 2025, when the group filed the case.
What Happens Next In The Court Fight
The DMV now has a short window to either turn over the records or justify any withholdings as privileged. If the agency blows the deadline, Judge Luis has indicated she may entertain civil penalties. The ACLU is asking the court to order full disclosure of the requested records and to shed light on the DMV’s data-sharing practices. Local coverage of the hearing is available from KOLO and FOX5. The case is ACLU of Nevada v. Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, Case No. 25 EW 00026 1B.
