Paxton permanently drops Annunciation House lawsuit

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has ended his effort to shut down Annunciation House, an El Paso network of migrant shelters, filing a nonsuit with prejudice that prevents his office from bringing another lawsuit with similar allegations. Paxton had accused the nonprofit of harboring migrants, human smuggling and operating a stash house; founder Ruben Garcia denied the claims and said the organization serves migrants released by federal authorities. The dispute began in 2024 when Paxton sought access to the organization’s records, and continued through court rulings, including a 2025 Texas Supreme Court decision that sent the case back to a lower court without deciding the merits of the allegations. Garcia welcomed the case’s end and called for safeguards against similar actions, while a nonprofit advocacy group characterized Paxton’s investigations as intimidation; Paxton’s office also dropped a separate suit against FIEL Houston, which serves immigrant communities.