HARRIS CO. (KBTX) – The Texas Supreme Court has ordered Harris County to stop spending money on its Immigrant Legal Services Fund and Immigration Resource Hotline while a legal challenge plays out in court.
The order, issued Friday, came after Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County, alleging the county unlawfully directed more than $1.3 million in taxpayer funds to provide legal defense for immigrants facing federal deportation proceedings.
Court questions program’s legal standing
The court said it had significant questions about whether Harris County had the legal authority to run the program in the first place. It also noted that once the money is spent, it cannot be recovered — a key factor in its decision to pause disbursements while the case continues.
The court said its order is not a final ruling. Harris County’s legal defenses remain in play, and the court said a lower appeals court would give those arguments full consideration. The state’s petition for writ of mandamus remains pending before the Texas Supreme Court.
Dissent
Three justices — Justice Lehrmann, Justice Bland and Justice Huddle — disagreed with the majority’s decision to pause the program. In a joint statement, they said the state had not shown that the lower appeals court was wrong to deny temporary relief while it weighs the case. The dissenting justices said they took no position on the underlying merits of the dispute.
Paxton statement
“This is a major win for protecting taxpayer dollars,” Paxton said. “It’s deeply wrong that any Texan should be forced to have their hard-earned dollars taken from them only to be handed out to defend illegal aliens. It’s unacceptable, it’s illegal, and it will not stand in the Lone Star State. I commend the Texas Supreme Court for correctly ordering that this unlawful program is frozen as the case continues.”
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