The Texas Supreme Court has hit pause on Harris County's immigrant legal aid spending, ordering county leaders on Friday to stop using taxpayer dollars on its Immigrant Legal Services Fund and the Houston Immigration Resource Hotline while a state challenge plays out.
Gov. Greg Abbott, posting on X, said the court granted the state's emergency motion under Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 52.10 and “concluded there exists serious doubt about the constitutionality of the Harris County program,” ordering the county to halt payments to the Immigrant Legal Services Fund and the Immigration Resource Hotline while the state's petition for a writ of mandamus is pending. Gov. Greg Abbott's post laid out the essence of the ruling.
Harris County launched the Immigrant Legal Services Fund in 2020 to pay nonprofit lawyers to represent detained residents in immigration proceedings. The county also backs the Houston Immigration Resource Hotline (1-833-468-4664), which connects callers to legal help. According to Harris County Housing & Community Development and the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, the program is intended to widen access to counsel, cut detention costs and help keep families together.
Backstory: State Lawsuit and Appeals
The legal fight began when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County in late 2025 in an effort to block about $1.3 million in county spending on deportation-defense services. A lower appeals panel had previously allowed the county to keep paying providers while the case moved forward, but the state later took the dispute to the Texas Supreme Court, according to The Texas Tribune.
What the Order Means Legally
By granting temporary relief under Rule 52.10, the high court issued a short-term order meant to preserve the status quo while it reviews the state's mandamus petition. The ruling does not decide the underlying constitutional question. The court left the petition pending and, as noted in the governor's post, recorded a dissent from Justices Lehrmann, Bland and Huddle. For background on Rule 52.10 and the order itself, see the Supreme Court of Texas orders.
Harris County officials have defended the Immigrant Legal Services Fund as a program with a clear public purpose, arguing that it helps limit county detention expenses and bolsters due process for residents. County Attorney Christian Menefee told the Houston Chronicle that the state's lawsuit was an “attempt to chase headlines.”
For now, the county has to keep a tight grip on the purse strings while the Texas Supreme Court works through full briefing and argument. The pause could strain local nonprofit legal providers that rely on county contracts. Residents seeking help are directed to check Harris County's web pages or call the Houston Immigration Resource Hotline at 1-833-468-4664 for updates. For more on how the program is structured, visit Harris County Housing & Community Development or the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative.
