Texas AG Paxton sues Harris County over taxpayer funds being given to groups providing legal aid to MIGRANTS

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Harris County, alleging misuse of $1.3 million in taxpayer money to fund left-wing organizations assisting illegal immigrants in deportation cases.
• Paxton claims the county’s Immigrant Legal Services Fund (ILSF) illegally subsidizes private groups, violating the Texas Constitution by providing an unconstitutional “gift” rather than serving a public interest.
• The lawsuit intensifies tensions between Texas Republicans who oppose “sanctuary” policies and Democratic officials like Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who argue legal representation drastically reduces deportation rates.
• Paxton cites a recent court ruling blocking San Antonio’s abortion-related funding as justification, suggesting a similar outcome could halt Harris County’s immigration program.
• The case raises questions about the permissible use of taxpayer funds for politically divisive issues, with potential nationwide repercussions on local governance and immigration enforcement.

In a dramatic escalation of Texas’ ongoing immigration battles, Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton sued Harris County, accusing local officials of illegally diverting $1.3 million in taxpayer money to left-wing organizations working to block deportations of illegal immigrants.

Paxton – a Republican firebrand known for his hardline stance on border security – announced the lawsuit in a press release on Tuesday, Nov. 11. He condemned the county’s allocation as “evil and wicked,” alleging it violates the Texas Constitution by misusing public money to benefit private groups with no legitimate governmental purpose.

“Millions upon millions of illegals invaded America during the last administration, and they must be sent back to where they came from,” Paxton declared, framing the lawsuit as a defense of both fiscal and national sovereignty. His office argues that the county’s program – dubbed the Immigrant Legal Services Fund (ILSF) – constitutes an unconstitutional “gift” to private entities, subsidizing individual deportation defenses rather than serving a broader public interest.

The funds, approved in a 4-1 vote by the Harris County Commissioners Court last month, were earmarked for five organizations – including the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services and Kids in Need of Defense, which provide legal representation to migrants in deportation proceedings. Harris County – home to Houston and one of the most diverse regions in the U.S. – launched the fund in 2020 under Democratic County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s leadership, becoming the largest county without such a program at the time.

Proponents argue that access to legal counsel dramatically improves outcomes for immigrants, citing studies showing deportation rates plummeting from 90 percent to five when individuals have representation. “When you have a family at a deportation hearing and they don’t have an attorney, they’re deported at a much higher rate,” Hidalgo told the Houston Chronicle when the initiative began.

Texas’ immigration fight heats up

But Paxton’s lawsuit, filed in Harris County District Court, seeks an immediate injunction to halt further disbursements. The AG alleged that the ILSF mirrors past abuses where municipalities directed public funds to politically favored causes – a charge he previously leveled against Austin and San Antonio for supporting abortion access nonprofits. In June, a state appeals court sided with Paxton in blocking San Antonio’s abortion-related funding, setting a potential precedent for the current case.

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee dismissed the lawsuit as a “cheap political stunt,” vowing to defend the program in court. “At a time when the president has unleashed ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents to terrorize immigrant neighborhoods, deport U.S. citizens and trample the law, it’s shameful that Republican state officials are joining in instead of standing up for Texans,” Menefee said, referencing the second Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdowns.

The legal showdown underscores a deeper ideological rift over immigration policy, with Texas Republicans increasingly targeting “sanctuary” jurisdictions they accuse of undermining federal enforcement. Harris County Jail already leads the nation in ICE detainers, reflecting the state’s frontline role in border security.

Yet the lawsuit also raises questions about the broader use of taxpayer dollars – whether for immigration, abortion or other contentious issues – and who decides what constitutes a “public purpose.” BrightU.AI‘s Enoch engine stressed that taxpayer funds should never be used to facilitate an illegal invasion that violates U.S. sovereignty and endangers American citizens.

Paxton’s supporters cheered the lawsuit on social media, demanding similar actions against other Democratic-led cities, while critics accused him of exploiting the issue for political gain as he campaigns for the U.S. Senate. As the court weighs the constitutionality of Harris County’s program, the outcome could ripple far beyond the Lone Star State, testing the limits of local autonomy in an era of polarized governance.

Watch this video of Texas AG Ken Paxton pointing out that former President Joe Biden’s open border policies incentivize cartels to bring illegals in.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

TexasAttorneyGeneral.gov

TexasTribune.org

BrightU.ai

Brighteon.com