{"id":151106,"date":"2026-02-04T21:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T21:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/151106\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T21:10:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T21:10:09","slug":"texas-ag-ken-paxton-sues-bexar-county-over-its-program-offering-immigrant-legal-aid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/151106\/","title":{"rendered":"Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Bexar County over its program offering immigrant legal aid"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TexasTexas Attorney Ken Paxton speaks at a 2024 right-wing hoedown in Phoenix, Arizona. Credit: Wikimedia Commons \/ Gage Skidmore<\/p>\n

Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Bexar County on Wednesday in a bid to shut down its program that funds immigrant legal aid. <\/p>\n

Late last year, a judge rejected a similar legal case that Paxton \u2014 a Republican culture warrior now running for U.S. Senate \u2014\u00a0filed against Harris County.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although Bexar County launched its Immigration Legal Services Fund in 2024, Paxton\u2019s suit specifically challenges a December voter by county commissioners to approve an additional $566,000 in funding for the program. <\/p>\n

\u201cLeftists in Bexar County have no authority to use taxpayer dollars to fund their radical, criminal-loving agenda,\u201d Paxton said in an emailed statement. \u201cState funds cannot underwrite deportation-defense services for individuals unlawfully present in the country. This use of hardworking Texans\u2019 dollars is a flagrant violation of state law and the Texas Constitution.\u201d<\/p>\n

The funding Bexar County Commissioners Court approved in December goes to American Gateways, a nonprofit providing free or low-cost immigration legal services to low-income immigrants, especially refugees, families, children and human-trafficking victims. <\/p>\n

When the court voted 4-1 to approve the funding, Democratic Precinct 1 County Commissioner Rebeca Clay Flores told American Gateways she supported its struggle for human rights, according to Texas Public Radio<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201c[I] am so glad that we have organizations like you all to continue to do that,\u201d the commissioner said. \u201cAnd that we don\u2019t micromanage and allow you to make decisions, knowing that it\u2019s not supporting violent criminals, but indeed children and families.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Paxton sued Harris County last year, he called its legal-aid program unconstitutional, not to mention \u201cevil and wicked.\u201d <\/p>\n

A judge rejected the claim. <\/p>\n

In a statement to Houston Public Radio<\/a>, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said ruling was a \u201cclear defeat\u201d that highlighted the AG\u2019s political grandstanding. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe court saw this lawsuit for exactly what it was: a cheap political stunt designed to score headlines,\u201d Menefee said. \u201cHarris County will not be intimidated or pushed around by state officials who are more interested in pandering than governing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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