Cesar Espinosa felt overwhelmed when served with a lawsuit in 2024. His immigrant rights group faced dissolution over posts criticizing Texas immigration policies. This scenario underscores the aggressive legal tactics of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Over several years, Paxton has targeted Democratic and Latino-led groups under the banner of enforcing ‘election integrity.’ His actions left organizations and volunteers struggling and facilities ransacked. The stakes elevated when Paxton secured the Republican nomination for Senate. His clash with Hispanic mobilizing groups now affects his political trajectory and the Senate’s control.
Gabriel Rosales, Texas director for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a prominent Latino civil rights organization, expressed concern over these developments but emphasized their commitment to continuing the fight.
Paxton has consistently amplified baseless claims of widespread noncitizen voting. In 2024, he leveraged a new stringent voting law to target Latino groups further. The law empowered him to pursue entire organizations rather than just individuals.
The Republican-led Texas Legislature passed a restrictive voting law under the guise of election integrity. It criminalized typical practices of civic and political groups, significantly impacting Latino communities. The legislation made it a felony to provide pay or benefits to staff and volunteers or engage in door-to-door voter interactions. It also prohibited volunteers from aiding elderly or bilingual voters in completing ballots or delivering them to polling centers. Volunteers can only read mail-in ballots to voters requiring assistance.