Texas Attorney General Paxton’s Legal Battle Against Annunciation House Continues
June 2, 2025 – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a significant legal victory at the Supreme Court of Texas, allowing his office’s lawsuit against Annunciation House, a nonprofit organization based in El Paso, to proceed. The lawsuit accuses Annunciation House of unlawfully harboring undocumented immigrants and operating what the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) claims to be a “stash house”—allegations the organization strongly denies.
“Today is a great victory for Texas, secure borders, and the rule of law,” Paxton said following the ruling. “Annunciation House has flagrantly violated our laws by harboring illegal aliens and assisting them to enter further into our country. This cannot be allowed to continue, and I will do everything in my power to stop them and any other NGO breaking our laws.”
Paxton originally filed the lawsuit in 2024, citing public records, courtroom statements, and admissions from Annunciation House employees as evidence of alleged violations of the Texas Penal Code. The organization initially won an injunction from an El Paso County district court, temporarily blocking the state’s prosecution.
However, the Texas Supreme Court overturned that ruling, stating there was “no evidence to support” claims that Paxton’s actions were motivated by anti-religious bias. The court emphasized the presumption of “regularity, good faith, and legality” owed to the attorney general in such proceedings.
This decision marks a pivotal moment in Texas’s broader legal and political battle over immigration enforcement and the role of NGOs. The lawsuit now moves forward, with potentially major implications for how humanitarian organizations operate along the Texas-Mexico border. While Annunciation House maintains that it provides legal humanitarian aid, the Attorney General’s Office contends its operations cross legal boundaries. The outcome could set a precedent for future state actions against similar organizations.
