FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2024
Contact: media@texascivilrightsproject.org
Request follows the Attorney General’s unsuccessful petition to the 459th Civil District Court in Travis County
AUSTIN, TEXAS - Today, the Texas Civil Rights Project and Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal L.L.P. filed a Response to a Petition for a Writ of Mandamus filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton, in his bogus investigation of Team Brownsville Inc., a small nonprofit that provides shelter and humanitarian assistance to people seeking safety at the border. The Response, which requests that the 15th Court of Appeals deny the Attorney General's Petition, follows a ruling by the 459th Civil District Court in Travis County, denying the Attorney General’s petition to take a pre-suit deposition of a representative of Team Brownsville. The Response raises several points, including how the Attorney General failed to enter evidence into the trial court record, and that the Attorney General did not meet his burden to establish that he was entitled to a pre-suit deposition under Rule 202 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. View the filing here.
“The allegations made against Team Brownsville are unfounded and lack any supporting evidence. This investigation is a coordinated attempt to shutter organizations the Attorney General doesn’t agree with and to undermine the vital work Team Brownsville does in assisting people seeking safety at the border,” said Aron Thorn (he/him), Senior Staff Attorney for the Beyond Borders Program at the Texas Civil Rights Project. “We stand committed to ensuring that Team Brownsville can continue helping the most vulnerable in our community, free from intimidation from the State.”
The Attorney General’s baseless investigation, which commenced in May 2024, alleges, among other things, that Team Brownsville assisted in the unlawful crossing of migrants across the border, and that Team Brownsville improperly used government funding. It is one of several baseless legal actions the Attorney General has taken against Texas non-governmental organizations.
“Our organization is committed to providing shelter and support to individuals who have fled their homes in search of safety in Texas. We stand by our mission and will not be deterred from helping the people who need our assistance most by these baseless accusations,” said Andrea Rudnik (she/her), President of Team Brownsville, Inc.
Team Brownsville was founded in July 2018, by a small group of like-minded educator volunteers in Brownsville, Texas. The volunteers help families and individuals legally seeking asylum in the United States. Team Brownsville has offered various programs in the last three years to assist asylum seekers, including providing food, water, shelter, basic necessities, and support with legal, medical, and other needs.
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The Texas Civil Rights Project is boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We use our tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas, and we partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice. We undertake our work with a vision of a Texas in which all communities can thrive with dignity, justice and without fear.
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