Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Harris County, alleging the county unlawfully allocated about $1.34 million in taxpayer funds to nonprofits that provide deportation defense. County officials say the program is legal and protects due process.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, announced a lawsuit against Harris County, accusing officials of violating the Texas Constitution by approving roughly $1.34 million for immigrant legal representation. The petition was filed in Harris County District Court on Monday, November 10. (texasattorneygeneral.gov)
According to the state’s filing, the Harris County Commissioners Court voted on October 16 to allocate $1,344,751 to five nonprofits—BakerRipley; the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project; Justice for All Immigrants; Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), Inc.; and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES)—to provide direct legal representation to immigrants in detention or facing deportation. On October 30, commissioners approved an additional $100,000 to the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative to operate an immigrant resource hotline. (texasattorneygeneral.gov)
In a press release, Paxton called the county’s spending “blatantly unconstitutional,” saying, “We must stop the left-wing radicals who are robbing Texans to prevent illegals from being deported by the Trump Administration,” and described the move as “evil and wicked.” His office argues the disbursements violate Article III, Section 52(a) of the Texas Constitution, often called the Gift Clause. (texasattorneygeneral.gov)
Harris County renewed the program in a 4–1 vote on October 16, with Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the court’s lone Republican, opposed. The Immigrant Legal Services Fund was created in 2020 to help low-income residents detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement obtain counsel in civil deportation proceedings. (houstonchronicle.com)
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee dismissed the lawsuit as “a cheap political stunt.” In a statement, he said: “At a time when the president has unleashed ICE agents to terrorize immigrant neighborhoods, deport U.S. citizens, and trample the law, it’s shameful that Republican state officials are joining in instead of standing up for Texans.” Menefee added that the program is “perfectly legal” and ensures people have access to due process. (texastribune.org)
The legal fight unfolds as Paxton mounts a 2026 Republican primary challenge to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt also entered the race in October, setting up a high-profile three-way contest. (reuters.com)
