Texas Attorney General Sues Houston Immigrant Rights Group Over Political Criticism

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a Houston-based immigrants' rights organization, FIEL, claiming that the group violated federal rules for nonprofits by criticizing former President Donald Trump, Republican Governor Greg Abbott and a new state immigration law.

Paxton's lawsuit, filed a month ago in the 127th Harris County District Court, sought to shut down the organization founded in 2007. FIEL, which stands for Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha (or Immigrant Families and Students in the Fight), is run by immigrants and provides education, social and legal services to immigrant families in the Houston area, as per Texas Tribune.

The lawsuit, which the Houston Chronicle first reported on Aug. 16, is the latest attempt by Paxton's office to shut down organizations that assist migrants.

Texas claims in court that FIEL violates rules prohibiting nonprofits from participating in political campaigns or trying to influence legislation.

The lawsuit cites FIEL's social media posts urging people to vote against Trump's immigration policies, the group's advocacy against a 2023 law (Senate Bill 4) allowing Texas police to arrest people suspected of illegal entry, its support (and occasional criticism) of President Biden's immigration policies and comments criticizing Governor Abbott as evidence.

The state asked Judge Ravi K. Sandill to issue a temporary order to stop FIEL from operating. After reviewing the case, the state also requested that FIEL's corporate registration be revoked, its certificate of formation canceled, the organization dissolved, and a permanent order issued to prevent the group from doing business in Texas again.

"The state embraces the First Amendment's value that Americans generally should have their voices heard on all types of political matters and campaign vigorously in support of one candidate or another," the filing stated, as per Texas Tribune. "But it has long been the law that entities cannot enjoy (nonprofit) status while doing so."

Paxton's office previously accused these groups of human smuggling in state courts, but judges have rejected those claims. However, this lawsuit against FIEL is different because it's the first time the state has targeted a group far from the border and focused on political speech.

Last month, FIEL Executive Director Cesar Espinosa discussed plans for a new office space with two interns, as their previous office in Houston's Gulfton neighborhood had been damaged by Hurricane Beryl, which left 13 inches of rain on the second floor.

While the plans were being discussed, Espinosa received the lawsuit. "It felt like one disaster after another. We weren't ready for it," Espinosa said last week. "We're hopeful, as always, to continue fighting and continue uplifting our community's voices."