LULAC calls for federal probe as members targeted in AG Ken Paxton's search for voter fraud

The League of United Latin American Citizens in Texas is calling for a federal investigation over an effort by Attorney General Ken Paxton's office to ferret out illegal voter registration operations, which the civil rights group argues is meant to disenfranchise Latino voters via "police state tactics."

While Paxton's office has recently initiated a series of "undercover operations to identify potential voter registration of noncitizens in Texas," Gabriel Rosales, state director for Texas LULAC, said in a statement Friday that Paxton's office had gone too far by targeting the homes of elderly citizens and LULAC members in South Texas.

"I have been contacted by elderly residents who are confused and frightened, wondering why they have been singled out," Rosales said. "Attorney General Paxton's actions clearly aim to suppress the Latino vote through intimidation and any means necessary to tilt the electoral process in favor of his political allies."

In the statement, Rosales said incidents had occurred recently in Dilley, a town set between Laredo and San Antonio along Interstate 35, with one such encounter resulting in law enforcement forcibly entering a private residence. At least five individuals were involved in the interactions, three of whom belonged to LULAC, Rosales told the American-Statesman on Friday.

"We're just as confused as everyone else," Rosales said. "We're not clear at this point, what we are doing is calling a meeting with the Department of Justice and to see if we can file a formal complaint."

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Cecilia Castellano, the Democratic candidate for state House District 80, told the Houston Chronicle on Friday that her home was raided Tuesday and that her phone was confiscated by law enforcement.

Rosales said the encounters all occurred at private homes and that officers took phones and computers in search of voter information that was alleged to have been obtained illegally.

"We feel like they're violating our civil rights, especially with highly contested elections that are coming up," Rosales said, refuting officers' claim.

On Tuesday, Paxton’s office announced its Election Integrity Unit executed multiple search warrants in Frio, Atascosa and Bexar counties tied to an ongoing investigation over allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting during the 2022 election cycle.

Paxton then announced on Wednesday that the unit had began conducting "undercover operations" in major metropolitan areas in Texas to identify and prevent the illegal registration of voters, accusing nonprofit organizations of setting up registration efforts near Texas Department of Public Safety driver license offices.

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Paxton said citizens are able to register to vote when renewing or registering for a driver's license with the DPS, "so there is no obvious need to assist citizens to register to vote outside DPS offices—calling into question the motives of the nonprofit groups."

"My office is investigating every credible report we receive regarding potential criminal activity that could compromise the integrity of our elections," Paxton said in a statement about the ongoing undercover operations.

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Paxton's office did not respond to an American-Statesman request for comment Friday after LULAC levied its accusations against the Attorney General's Office, and the office has not released additional information on the search warrants the Election Unit carried out Tuesday or details about the undercover operations on Wednesday.

Rosales called the actions of Paxton's office reckless and hate-fueled in announcing the connection of the raids to LULAC — the nation's oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization.

"It is disgraceful and outrageous that the state of Texas, and its highest-ranking law enforcement officer, is once again using the power of his office to instill fear in the hearts of community members who volunteer their time to promote civic engagement," Rosales said. "We urge you to continue organizing and mobilizing in your neighborhoods and cities to ensure what could be the most significant Latino voter turnout in Texas history."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: LULAC calls for federal probe as members targeted in AG Ken Paxton's search for voter fraud