Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center v. Ken Paxton
This case was brought to protect Las Americas’ right to advocate for its immigrant clients and the immigrant community in and around El Paso, Texas free from harassment from Texas State officials. In September 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton served a politically motivated and specious Civil Investigative Demand on Las Americas, seeking the production of documents in its client files. Las Americas seeks nothing more than to carry out its mission to help vulnerable immigrants in need, and this baseless investigation threatens its ability to deliver these already limited legal services. Las Americas has become ensnared in the Texas Attorney General’s most recent dragnet to intimidate and harass organizations that advocate for marginalized communities in an effort to shut down immigration non-profits. The investigation and its attendant harms put Las Americas’ First Amendment rights at grave risk.
Date filed: September 25, 2025
The case is currently being deliberated at the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division
Significance:
This case concerns preventing the state government from harassing organizations simply because the government does not agree politically with the work of the organization. It comes after a string of politically motivated investigations against immigration non-profits. It concerns all of our abilities to advocate for and express what we believe in, which is protected by the First Amendment.
