Lucio Vasquez/Houston Public Media
Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Monday towards Harris County after its commissioners lately drew backlash for renewing funding for a 5-year-old immigration authorized protection program.
Final month, Harris County commissioners permitted allocating greater than $1 million for authorized protection providers as a part of the county’s Immigrant Authorized Companies Fund — a years-long program that goals to enhance due course of within the federal immigration system. This system gives funding for authorized illustration to immigrants within the Houston space who’re in detention or dealing with the specter of deportation, in line with county paperwork.
The legal professional normal’s lawsuit names as defendants county officers, Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo and every of the 4 elected commissioners — together with Tom Ramsey, the lone Republican and a dissenting vote on the authorized protection funding.
The 17-page lawsuit claims that Harris County’s allocation of public funds to nonprofit organizations, together with BakerRipley and the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Illustration Mission, violates the Texas Structure’s present clause.
“These expenditures are gratuitous as a result of they confer direct monetary {and professional} advantages on personal entities and people with out offering reciprocal public profit or consideration to Harris County,” Paxton wrote.
RELATED: Harris County commissioners’ funding renewal for immigration authorized protection attracts backlash
The legal professional normal’s workplace filed the lawsuit as Paxton is working for a better workplace. He’s difficult U.S. Sen. John Cornyn within the 2026 Republican major.
The lawsuit asserts that the choice to fund deportation protection providers was motivated by coverage opposition to federal immigration raids “slightly than by any reliable public objective.”
Appearing Harris County Legal professional Christian Menefee, a Democrat who’s working to signify Texas’ 18th Congressional District, referred to as the protection fund “completely authorized” in an announcement Tuesday. He additionally stated the lawsuit is a “low cost political stunt.”
“Harris County has funded this program for years as a result of it is the precise factor to do,” Menefee additionally stated. “We’re serving to individuals who reside in our communities and who contribute daily to our native financial system. That is what good authorities appears like.”
The lawsuit additionally asserts that Harris County didn’t undertake eligibility requirements or a overview course of to make sure the general public funds are used for a “outlined public objective.”
Commissioners’ latest movement to allocate funding for the authorized protection providers got here years after this system was first created in 2020 and funded with $2.5 million. It was permitted by commissioners on the time in a 3-2 vote alongside social gathering strains.
Some teams condemned the creation of the fund in 2020, arguing governments shouldn’t use taxpayer {dollars} to defend immigrants. The transfer was backed by organizations just like the American Civil Liberties Union and United We Dream.
In a information launch Tuesday, Paxton asserted that the expenditures serve no public objective and represent unconstitutional grants of public funds to personal entities.
“We should cease the left-wing radicals who’re robbing Texans to stop illegals from being deported by the Trump administration,” Paxton stated in an announcement.
Commissioners had little dialogue on the latest merchandise earlier than Commissioner Rodney Ellis made a movement to approve the merchandise as introduced. Ramsey requested the county authorized workers if it’s authorized for the county to allocate funding to the nonprofits. The authorized workers informed him it’s.
“My workplace will battle again and defend Harris County’s proper to guide with equity, compassion, and customary sense, irrespective of what number of instances Republican state officers attempt to erase that,” Menefee stated.
In a collection of statements on Tuesday, commissioners rejected Paxton’s claims.
Commissioner Adrian Garcia stated that aiding with the authorized course of in immigration courts assures individuals who contribute to the financial system are additionally being served by the system.
“We don’t apologize for legally aiding individuals who contribute to our financial engine, particularly individuals who have served in our army,” Garcia stated. “As the previous Harris County Sheriff, I assist eradicating harmful and violent folks on this nation illegally.”
Commissioners Lesley Briones and Ellis stated that the legal professional normal’s lawsuit comes because the Trump Administration authorizes immigration raids which can be fueling nervousness.
“Not like Paxton, who openly permits the Trump Administration’s masked ICE brokers to arrest U.S. residents in violation of the regulation, we consider individuals who have a authorized proper to stay within the nation deserve entry to justice and due course of,” Briones stated.
