The Texas Supreme Court has recently granted Attorney General Ken Paxton permission to further investigate Annunciation House, a migrant shelter in El Paso, accused of assisting undocumented migrants. While the court's decision, issued Friday, made no judgment on the case's substance, it found that the district court had made an error when it blocked Paxton from obtaining documents and potentially closing the shelter. The initial inquiry by Paxton's office into Annunciation House began back in February 2024, as highlighted by KXAN.
Arriving at Annunciation House's doorstep on February 7, 2024, representatives from the attorney general's office demanded a prompt turnover of documents related to the shelter's work with immigrants. In response, the shelter filed a lawsuit to delay the release, prompting a counteraction by Paxton to attempt to shutter the network. According to a report by CBS Austin, this move forms part of a larger agenda, as Paxton's office has used state consumer protection laws to target at least four other organizations working with immigrants.
In earlier court proceedings, State District Judge Francisco Dominguez denied Paxton's motion to close down Annunciation House, stating the attorney general's claims did not establish a violation of the relevant provisions. Also mentioned was the issue of preemption by federal law, rendering state laws unenforceable in this context. Paxton appealed this decision to the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court.
During the legal debate, Ryan Baasch from the attorney general's office argued, " Annunciation House 'knowingly and purposely' shelters undocumented persons." Baasch further insisted on more concrete measures to discourage similar organizations aiding undocumented individuals, aiming to not just issue an injunction that says, ‘Don’t do this unlawful act again,’ according to statements obtained by KXAN. On the opposing side, Annunciation House's lawyers have characterized the state's actions as an infringement on First Amendment rights, with their attorney arguing that most individuals helped by the shelter are legally processed and released by federal immigration authorities.
As the case progresses, with the Supreme Court's latest judgment, it heads back to the district court for further deliberation. The justices made it clear in their unanimous opinion that they were not assessing the strength of Paxton's arguments or his likelihood of outright victory in this matter, and only resolved the necessary aspects to conclude the current appeal. What happens from here remains to be seen, as the district court will reassess the attorney general's request for an injunction in light of the higher court’s holdings.
