Texas Attorney General’s Campaign Against Latino Groups

In 2024, Cesar Espinosa faced a sudden crisis. His immigrant rights organization was hit with a lawsuit. The lawsuit demanded dissolution due to their public criticism of Texas immigration policies.

This legal action is part of a broader effort led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. For years, he has targeted Democratic and Latino-led groups over alleged ‘election integrity’ issues. This campaign has left many organizations and individuals in turmoil. Volunteers and members of these groups have faced significant challenges.

The situation intensified last month when Paxton secured the Republican Party’s nomination for Senate. His personal stakes in this battle are now higher, potentially influencing his political future and the Senate’s control.

Gabriel Rosales, representing the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), commented on the situation. LULAC is a longstanding Latino civil rights organization. ‘It doesn’t look good for us,’ Rosales said, ‘But we are going to keep fighting.’

In 2024, Paxton began using a newly passed restrictive voting law. This law targets left-leaning Latino groups. It includes corporate statutes allowing him to take on entire organizations, bypassing individual officers or employees. Paxton asserts, ‘Under my watch, there will be no stolen elections in Texas.’

This declaration follows the Texas Legislature’s decision to criminalize tools traditionally used by civic groups. These tools were often employed by churches and political campaigns, particularly within Latino communities. The law imposes severe restrictions, such as making it a felony to compensate staff or provide volunteers with benefits including stipends or gas money.

Additionally, the measure bans volunteers from aiding voters, like the elderly or those needing bilingual assistance, in filling out ballots or transporting them to polling sites. The new rules allow volunteers only to read mail-in ballots to those they assist.