Texas Judge Rejects Attorney General’s Attempt to Close Annunciation HouseTexas Judge Rejects Attorney General’s Attempt to Close Annunciation House On July 2, 2023, a state judge in El Paso, Texas, rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to close Annunciation House, a Catholic nonprofit that assists migrants. Judge Francisco X. Dominguez found that Paxton’s office had not provided sufficient evidence to support its claim that Annunciation House was violating any laws. The judge also ruled that Paxton’s efforts violated the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Paxton in February 2023, accusing Annunciation House of “human smuggling” and other illegal activities. The lawsuit has been widely condemned by local officials and Catholic leaders. In his ruling, Judge Dominguez criticized Paxton’s office for failing to identify specific laws that Annunciation House was alleged to have violated. He also accused the attorney general of using the case as a pretext for harassing the organization’s employees and asylum seekers. Paxton’s office has not yet responded to the ruling. The lawsuit against Annunciation House is part of a broader effort by some Republican lawmakers to crack down on nongovernmental organizations that provide assistance to migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. The case has also drawn attention from Pope Francis, who condemned Paxton’s attempt to close Annunciation House as “madness.” Annunciation House provides a range of services to migrants and refugees, including food, housing, and legal assistance. The organization has been praised for its work by local officials and Catholic leaders.
(OSV News) — A state judge on July 2 rejected Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to close Annunciation House in El Paso, Texas, a Catholic nonprofit that helps migrants.
The ruling, from El Paso County District Court Judge Francisco X. Dominguez, found that Paxton’s office “failed to establish probable cause of action” and that the effort violated the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
“The record before this court clearly demonstrates that the Texas Attorney General’s use of the request to examine Annunciation House documents was a pretext to justify the harassment of Annunciation House employees and asylum seekers,” Dominguez ruled in granting Annunciation House’s request for damages.
“This Court has previously expressed concern that the Attorney General failed to identify from the outset which laws he believed had been violated,” the ruling said.
Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to OSV News’ request for comment.
In court documents and press releases, his office alleged that Annunciation House operates “hiding sites,” facilitates illegal border crossings, “hides illegally present aliens from law enforcement” and has failed to provide documents in connection with the investigation.
Attorneys for Annunciation House deny any wrongdoing or illegal conduct and say Paxton’s office failed to follow proper legal procedures in requesting documents.
Paxton’s effort to close Annunciation House comes as some Republican lawmakers have grown increasingly hostile to nongovernmental organizations, including Catholic organizations, that provide resources such as food and shelter to migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
A lawsuit Paxton filed in February previously sought to shut down Annunciation House, accusing it of “human smuggling,” a move condemned by local elected officials and Catholic immigration advocates, including Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso. In March, Dominguez issued an injunction blocking Paxton’s subpoena of Annunciation House, arguing that Paxton’s effort appeared politically motivated and that it should go through appropriate due process in the state court system.
The Diocese of El Paso did not immediately respond to OSV News’ request for comment.
In its filing, Paxton’s office attempted to downplay the “religious aspect” of Annunciation House’s mission, stating, “Instead, Annunciation House members appear to adhere to a more Bohemian set of ‘seven commandments,’ including commandments to ‘visit’ people when they are ‘imprisoned’ and ‘care for (them) when they are sick.’”
However, these quotes come from a witness who appeared to be referring to what the Catholic Church calls the “seven corporal works of mercy,” according to a review of the document by OSV News.
The case even caught the attention of Pope Francis, who criticized Paxton’s attempt to close Annunciation House, calling it “madness” in a recent interview with CBS News.
In the pope’s first one-on-one interview with a U.S. broadcaster, CBS journalist and interviewer Norah O’Donnell asked: “The state of Texas is trying to shut down a Catholic charity on the border with Mexico that provides humanitarian aid to undocumented migrants. What do you think about that?”
“That is madness. Pure madness,” Pope Francis responded.
Annunciation House operates several shelters in the El Paso area and helps migrants and refugees with food, housing, and other assistance. It also provides information on how to complete the required legal paperwork to apply for asylum in the U.S.
Kate Scanlon is a national reporter for OSV News covering Washington. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @kgscanlon.
