Ken Paxton Drops Lawsuits Against Texas Migrant Nonprofits

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton dropped two lawsuits on November 10, 2026, that sought to shut down immigrant-rights organizations. The dismissals were filed with prejudice, meaning the state cannot refile the same claims. The targeted groups included Annunciation House, a migrant shelter network in El Paso, and Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha (FIEL), a Houston-based advocacy organization.

The legal battle with Annunciation House began in February 2024, with Paxton alleging the nonprofit engaged in human smuggling and harboring. Although the Supreme Court of Texas ruled in Paxton's favor in May 2025, the case ended as Paxton prepares to leave office after losing a U.S. Senate race on November 3. The lawsuit against FIEL, filed in July, accused the group of violating nonprofit restrictions by criticizing the immigration policies of Governor Greg Abbott and Donald Trump.

Ruben Garcia, founder of Annunciation House, and U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar attributed the dismissals to the election of Democrat Nathan Johnson as the next Attorney General. Garcia stated that the litigation acted as a wet blanket over the work of similar organizations. Cesar Espinosa of FIEL described the lawsuit as burdensome to the institution. Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson has indicated he intends to review cases initiated by Paxton.