EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday, July 15, that he will appeal the dismissal of his lawsuit seeking to close El Paso’s Annunciation House.
Earlier this month, Judge Francisco X. Dominguez in El Paso ruled that Paxton’s attempts to enforce a subpoena for records of migrants served at the Annunciation House violated the constitutional rights of the shelter. His ruling prevents Paxton from seeking the records and protects the shelter from what Dominguez called “harassment and overreaching” by Paxton’s office, according to the Associated Press.
Paxton said he was appealing the case to the Texas Supreme Court.
Back in February, Paxton’s office announced that it was suing Annunciation House and was seeking to revoke its registration to operate in the state.
Paxton alleges that the non-governmental organization facilitates illegal entry into the United States and operates as a de facto stash house.
Annunciation House is “a volunteer organization that offers hospitality to migrants, immigrants, and refugees in El Paso,” according to the group’s website.
After Paxton announced his attempt to shut down Annunciation House, the organization received a wide range of support from El Paso’s elected leaders and from the Catholic Church.
Paxton’s office said that Dominguez’s ruling was not supported by any evidence.
“For too long, Annunciation House has flouted the law and contributed to the worsening illegal immigration crisis at Texas’s border with Mexico,” Paxton said in announcing his appeal. “I am appealing this case and will continue to vigorously enforce the law against any NGO engaging in criminal conduct.”
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