Judge’s ruling protects shelter for migrants at US-Mexico border and accuses Texas of harassment

McALLEN, Texas – A judge criticized Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s efforts to close one of the oldest and largest migrant shelters on the U.S.-Mexico border in a scathing ruling Tuesday, accusing the Republican of “outrageous” conduct. ” due to its claims that the shelter encourages migrants to enter. the country illegally.

Judge Francisco X. Dominguez in El Paso ruled that Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempts to enforce a subpoena for migrant records who were cared for at Casa da Anunciação in recent years violated the shelter’s constitutional rights. His decision prevents Paxton from searching for the records and protects the shelter from what Dominguez called “harassment and abuse” by Paxton’s office.

Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but the state is expected to appeal.

Dominguez wrote that he had previously expressed concern that Paxton’s office had not identified which laws the Annunciation House was allegedly violating.

“The record before this Court makes clear that the Texas Attorney General’s use of the request to examine Annunciation House documents was a pretext to justify harassment of Annunciation House employees and people seeking refuge,” he wrote.

“Indeed, the record before the Court now establishes that the Attorney General was always looking for evidence of alleged criminal activity,” Dominguez continued. “This is outrageous and intolerable.”

Paxton alleged that by providing shelter to migrants regardless of their legal status, Annunciation House was facilitating illegal immigration, human smuggling and operating a safe house.

State officials visited the El Paso shelter in early February demanding immediate access to records — including medical and immigration documents — of migrants who have received services there since 2022. Officials at Annunciation House, which oversees a network of shelters, said they were willing to fulfill but needed time to determine what they could legally share without violating their clients’ constitutional rights.

Investigators who sought to access the records the day after the entry request were not permitted to enter the shelter. Jerry Wesevich, the attorney representing Annunciation House, said businesses under the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution are protected from unwarranted searches and seizures by the government.