The Supreme Court of Texas issued an order blocking Harris County from continuing to distribute taxpayer funds to supply legal representation for undocumented immigrants facing federal deportation proceedings. The high court’s intervention freezes the county’s Immigrant Legal Services Program while the underlying litigation continues to be fought on its merits.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who initiated the lawsuit, celebrated the order as a significant milestone, asserting, “This is a major win for protecting taxpayer dollars. It’s deeply wrong that any Texan should be forced to have their hard-earned dollars taken from them only to be handed out to defend illegal aliens. It’s unacceptable, it’s illegal, and it will not stand in the Lone Star State.”
The legal showdown traces back to a contentious 4–1 vote by the Harris County Commissioners Court, which authorized $1,344,751 in public funds for five non-governmental immigration organizations: BakerRipley, the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project, Justice for All Immigrants, KIND Inc., and the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.
While local officials framed the initiative as a necessary measure to protect due process and prevent family separations, Republican Commissioner Tom Ramsey dissented. Attorney General Paxton subsequently filed suit, contending that the allocations violate the Texas Constitution’s “gift clause,” which explicitly bars political subdivisions from granting public funds to private entities or individuals unless the expenditure satisfies a distinct public benefit.
Paxton initially lost his bid for a preliminary injunction at the district court level and subsequently sought an expedited 15-day review from the newly operational, 15th Court of Appeals. The appellate court rejected that request, ruling against the state on the grounds that Paxton had failed to prove the long-standing program had inflicted any direct or immediate harm upon Texas residents.
The litigation timeline drew a public rebuke from fellow Governor Greg Abbott, whose legal team submitted an amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court criticizing Paxton for rushing the case through the lower courts. Despite the inter-agency friction over legal strategy, the Supreme Court of Texas ultimately stepped in to place a hard freeze on the county’s disbursements, ensuring the funds remain securely locked as the constitutional battle proceeds toward trial.