Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is cracking down on border assistance organizations with a recent temp injunction against Annunciation House, accusing the El Paso-based NGO of fostering illegal immigration and shielding undocumented migrants from law enforcement. A press release from the Texas Attorney General's Office outlines the allegations, claiming the organization's activities include facilitating illegal border crossings and to conceal illegally present aliens from law enforcement.
Earlier in the year, when the OAG asked for documents to review Annunciation House's practices, the nonprofit went on the defensive and, instead of complying, sued the OAG. According to testimony released by the office, the House's operations allegedly involve sheltering migrants who evade border patrol, and even crossing into Mexico to retrieve individuals who have been turned back, then hiding these people within its facilities. "Any NGO facilitating the unlawful entry of illegal aliens into Texas is undermining the rule of law and potentially jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of our citizens," Paxton said, warning that any complicit organizations should consider themselves on notice.
Despite initially claiming a religious exemption from cooperating with the OAG's investigation, Annunciation House's leaders couldn't substantiate the burden it would place on their religious exercise under oath. Their defense unraveled further when questioned about their religious practices, which elicited unclear responses such as adhering to "the seven commandments," as per the Attorney General's office.
In defense of their lack of cooperation, Annunciation House argued their activities were protected by religious freedom, yet when pressed for details, the organization's executive director could not explain how submitting documents would infringe on religious principles. The spotlight now falls not only on Annunciation House but also on similar organizations that may be working under similar pretenses, Paxton suggests. The clash between state authority and nonprofit operations continues, as wider conversations on immigration and border control unfold in Texas and beyond.
