DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* Histologically or cytologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the brain
* Measurable disease in the brain
* Meets 1 of the following criteria:

* No prior brain-specific therapy AND no CNS symptoms referable to the brain lesion(s) (with or without concurrent steroid therapy)
* CNS symptoms referable to the brain lesion(s) AND received primary therapy for the brain lesion(s)

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

* Blood pressure \< 140/90 mm Hg on 2 separate occasions, taken at least 24 hours apart, within the past 6 weeks (patients on stable anti-hypertensive regimens allowed)
* ECOG performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 60-100%
* Bilirubin \< 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
* ALT/AST \< 2.5 times ULN
* Estimated glomerular filtration rate \> 30 mL/min
* Not pregnant or nursing
* Negative pregnancy test
* Fertile patients must use effective contraception
* Able to swallow pills or comply with an oral treatment regimen
* No history of a bleeding diathesis or requirement for full-dose anticoagulation
* No history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to sorafenib
* No clinical or radiologic evidence of bowel obstruction or perforation
* No other uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, any of the following:

* Ongoing or active infection
* Symptomatic congestive heart failure
* Unstable angina pectoris
* Cardiac arrhythmia
* Psychiatric illness or social situation that would limit compliance with study requirements

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

* More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or mitomycin C) and recovered
* More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy to sites outside of the brain and recovered
* More than 8 weeks since prior standard external-beam radiotherapy to the brain unless there is evidence of in-brain progression
* No prior complete surgical resection or radiosurgery of all known brain metastases unless there is evidence of in-brain progression
* No prior sorafenib, sunitinib malate, bevacizumab, or any other agent targeting the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) or vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) kinase cascade
* No other concurrent investigational agents
* No concurrent enzyme-inducing anti-seizure medications, including phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine, or primidone

* Concurrent non-enzyme-inducing anti-seizure medications allowed
* No concurrent combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive patients
* No concurrent hematopoietic growth factors except erythropoietin
* No concurrent ketoconazole, itraconazole, or ritonavir
* No concurrent grapefruit juice
* No concurrent Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort)
* No concurrent chemotherapy
* No concurrent hormonal therapy except steroids for adrenal failure and/or control of CNS edema or hormones for non-disease related conditions (e.g., insulin for diabetes)
* No concurrent palliative radiotherapy
* No other concurrent anticancer therapy
* Concurrent bisphosphonates allowed