Immigrant aid groups They condemned the prosecution by the Texas government.a trend of intimidation that is affecting humanitarian organizations along the border with Mexico and includes paramilitary groups as well as individuals making threats through social media.

Fear intensified during the election campaign and after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit this month against Casa Annunciación for refusing to turn over documentation related to its activities.

Paxton threatened to revoke the center’s permit and accused it of using government funds to “promote illegal immigration into the United States, shelter immigrants, human trafficking, and operate shelters.”

“It’s incredible that they call our hospitable homes “shelters” for migrants,” said EFE Ruben Garcia, director of Casa Anunciación, a Catholic nonprofit that has operated several migrant shelters along the Texas-Mexico border for 40 years.

Garcia denied any “illegal” activity ensuring that they do not have the power to determine who crosses the border and who is given permission by the federal government to seek asylum in this country.

A Texas prosecutor also questioned the legality of the center’s transport of migrants.

Garcia assured that they only offer a place where migrants they can bathe, receive clean clothes, hot food and help contact your family and reach your final destination in the United States.

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Jerome Wezenvich, a lawyer representing the Annunciation House, spoke about this. EFE what is this requirement clear abuse of power by Attorney Paxton.

He said the prosecutor’s lawyers arrived at the humanitarian group’s office in early February and demanded a list and information about those staying at the shelter. The lawyers asked for 30 days to provide this information, but their request was rejected, and In his lawsuit, the prosecutor asked the court to suspend the permit for the operation of the shelter.

Among the documents Texas prosecutors are seeking are medical records, which the lawyer says are protected by law.

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The court will hear both sides on March 9. a case that many are watching closely due to the impact what it might be like for humanitarian aid groups.

Fear of being a target “Witch-hunt” it spreads across the border to other groups in states like Arizona.

“We have experienced first-hand persecution and accusations of right-wing extremist groups“, said EFE Dora Rodriguez is director of the humanitarian group Compassionate Borders.

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Rodriguez noted that in recent months his organization purpose of false accusations on social networks as if they are working with the “Mexican cartels” to facilitate human trafficking.

“We are also often harassed by paramilitary groups who patrol the border, chase us, photograph and film us.”

Charges and lawsuits against humanitarian groups that work on behalf of migrants are not new.

In 2019, Scott Warren, a university professor and member of the group No More Deaths in Arizona, was found not guilty after facing two lawsuits against him for allegedly “harboring” undocumented immigrants.

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federal government accused the activist of harboring illegal migrants at an organizational camp in the Arizona desert. Also to protect them from being arrested by Border Patrol and to provide them with information about the routes they should take to avoid detection.

Rodriguez says that The persecution of border guards continues to this day, having been threatened with arrest several times in recent weeks for helping migrants.

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Especially for helping those who wait several days for processing during inclement weather in the border wall area, heavy rains and even snow storms.

Rodríguez does not rule out that the persecution of groups such as Casa Anunciación in Texas is also a response to the proximity of the presidential elections.

“Unfortunately, many politicians use migrants as a campaign theme, leaving the humanitarian issue aside.”

Rodriguez predicts that The situation will be even worse if former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), favorite for the Republican Party candidate, return to the White House.

(EFE)