The Texas attorney general is resuming an attempt to shut down Catholic nonprofits that serve immigrants

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton resumed his attempt to shut down the Annunciation House in El Paso, a Catholic nonprofit that serves migrants, just a few months after his previous attempt was blocked by a state judge.

Paxton's office said May 8 that it had filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against Annunciation House, accusing it of “systemic criminal conduct in Texas,” including facilitating illegal border crossings or concealing “illegally present aliens from law enforcement.”

Annunciation House's lawyer said these were false accusations.

In a statement, Paxton said, “Any NGO that facilitates the illegal entry of illegal aliens into Texas undermines the rule of law and potentially endangers the safety and well-being of our citizens.”

“Any NGOs involved in Joe Biden’s illegal immigration disaster who think they are above the law should beware,” he added.

Paxton's move to shut down Annunciation House comes at a time when some Republican lawmakers have become increasingly hostile toward nongovernmental organizations, including Catholic ones, that provide resources such as food and shelter to migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Paxton filed a lawsuit to close Annunciation House back in February, accusing it of “human smuggling,” a move denounced by Catholic immigration advocates, including El Paso Bishop Mark J. Seitz. In March, District Judge Francisco Dominguez in El Paso issued an order blocking Paxton's subpoena of the Annunciation House, finding that Paxton's efforts appeared to be politically motivated and that they must go through due process in the state court system.

Jerome Wesevich, an attorney with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid who represents Annunciation House, called Paxton's latest efforts “all heat and no light.”

“The court has established an orderly process for deciding this case, and Annunciation House intends to follow that process so that Annunciation House and other nonprofit organizations have a clear explanation of their rights and responsibilities when the attorney general serves them with subpoenas,” Wesevich said in a statement.

In its press release, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid said Paxton “attached to his filing today a malicious press release reiterating the false allegations he made against Annunciation House in early February.”

“What counts here is what the court does, not what the attorney general says,” Wesevich said. “While the Attorney General draws attention to his false claims, Annunciation House continues to serve refugees as the law allows and as the gospel dictates.”

Spokespeople for the Diocese of El Paso and Annunciation House did not immediately respond to OSV News' request for comment.

Annunciation House operates several shelters in the El Paso area and assists migrants and refugees with food, shelter and other assistance. It also provides information on completing the necessary legal documents to apply for asylum in the United States