(HOUSTON) – A Texas state judge denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to sue a Houston-based non-profit, according to an order entered on Friday. Today’s ruling prevents Paxton’s proposed lawsuit from moving forward and also denies Paxton’s request for a temporary injunction to shut down the non-profit.
MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) and Carlos R. Soltero, an Austin-based attorney and member of MALDEF’s board of directors, represent FIEL Houston, a group that works with immigrants and their families. Attorneys were in court last week arguing Paxton had no authority to sue over his claims about FIEL Houston’s federal tax-exempt status, and that Paxton’s actions are in retaliation for FIEL’s advocacy for immigrants.
Friday’s ruling was the third time in two months that a judge has rejected Paxton’s attempts to shut down nonprofit groups with whose content or mission he disagrees.
In July, a state judge ruled against Paxton’s effort to shut down Annunciation House, an El Paso nonprofit that operates a migrant shelter, writing that Paxton “chose to harass a human rights organization with impunity and with disregard to his duty to faithfully uphold the laws of Texas and the United States.” Also in July, a different state judge ruled against Paxton’s request to force a deposition of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley in his investigation of that organization.
Please attribute the following statement to MALDEF President and General Counsel, Thomas A. Saenz:
“This court ruling sheds more light on Paxton’s pathological insistence on engaging in premature and improper litigation. Several years ago, Paxton sued MALDEF itself for threatening to sue to challenge unconstitutional Texas legislation. This latest round of politically motivated harassment of non-profit service organizations must stop; it is an abuse of the court system and redolent of prosecutions in dictatorial nation-states.”
Please attribute the following statement to MALDEF Southwest Regional Counsel Fátima Lucía Menéndez:
“Today’s order ensures that FIEL Houston can continue to carry out its mission to empower and educate people regardless of their immigration status. We appreciate that the Court recognized that the Attorney General does not have the authority to bring this lawsuit. Nonprofit organizations should not be intimidated by this failed attempt by the Attorney General to shut down organizations because he disagrees with their missions.”
Please attribute the following statement to attorney Carlos Soltero:
“We agree with the judge’s rulings, which came after a robust hearing at which the Attorney General’s Office had every opportunity to show any basis for this ill-conceived legal action. This lawsuit was a waste of taxpayer money and effort. The Attorney General should be focused on consumer issues relating to the hurricane, power outages, and other things that matter to Texans.”
Please attribute the following statement to FIEL Executive Director Cesar Espinosa:
“We hope today’s ruling will let us go back to what’s really important, which is serving our membership We look forward to continuing our work with the community. For the last 17 years, FIEL Houston has helped out thousands of people on a variety of issues around the state of Texas.”