The Texas Supreme Court has temporarily halted Harris County’s funding for its Immigrant Legal Services Fund (ILSF), which was designed to assist immigrants facing deportation. This decision comes after a motion for “temporary relief” was filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton, who argued that the program improperly allocates public funds to private organizations.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged the absence of a final decision but expressed “serious doubt about the constitutionality” of the ILSF. The justices also questioned whether Harris County possesses the constitutional or statutory authority to operate the program.
As a result of this order, all funding related to the ILSF and the Immigration Resource Hotline is currently suspended. However, the court did not dismiss the County’s defenses outright, expressing confidence that the appellate court will thoroughly evaluate those arguments.
The background of this situation dates back to November, when Attorney General Paxton initiated a lawsuit against the Harris County Commissioners Court. The lawsuit contends that the County misused taxpayer dollars by granting $1.3 million to organizations providing legal assistance to migrants facing deportation, which he labeled as “unconstitutional grants of public funds to private entities.”
In response to the court’s decision, Attorney General Paxton praised the ruling, stating, “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.” He commended the Texas Supreme Court for freezing the program pending further legal proceedings.
On the other hand, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones voiced her disapproval of the pause, emphasizing the importance of legal support for vulnerable immigrant communities.
