Texas attorney general pursues Catholic Charities despite legal failures

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continued his legal campaign against Catholic Charities despite losing another court battle with the US Church’s aid agency.

Judge Bobby Flores denied Paxton’s request to depose an official from an agency branch, Catholic Charites of the Rio Grande Valley (CCRGV), because of their work helping care for migrants.

“The attorney general’s investigation of CCRGV is based solely on CCRGV’s religiously-motivated provision of charitable services to asylum seekers, which do not violate any law,” the charity’s lawyers argued in their brief opposing enforcement of the deposition request.

They noted that they work closely with Border Control agents and other federal immigration officials, as well as with Paxton’s office, but that the current request was “a fishing expedition into a pond where no one has ever seen a fish”. Judge Flores agreed.

“We hope that we can put this behind us and focus our efforts on protecting and upholding the sanctity and dignity of all human lives while following the law,” said Sr Norma Pimentel, chief executive of CCRGV, who has received international recognition for her work with migrants.

The national Catholic Charities office also voiced concern about Paxton’s attacks on Catholic ministries.

“The targeting of this faith-based agency and broader attacks on the Catholic Church should deeply concern Catholics, religious liberty advocates and all people of good will,” said Karry Alys Robinson, chief executive of Catholic Charities USA.

Paxton announced he would appeal a previous ruling that quashed a subpoena he issued to Annunciation House, a Catholic ministry that aids migrants in El Paso, Texas.

“For too long, Annunciation House has flouted the law and contributed to the worsening illegal immigration crisis at Texas’s border with Mexico,” Paxton said in a statement.

“I am appealing this case and will continue to vigorously enforce the law against any NGO engaging in criminal conduct.”

In early July, a judge found that Paxton’s subpoena violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and “failed to establish probable grounds for the proceedings.” Paxton appealed the ruling to the Texas Supreme Court which has so far not indicated whether it will consider the case.

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