Texas opens probe into whether state lawyers’ group aiding illegal immigration

Opening a new front on the war against illegal immigration, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a probe into whether the state bar is misappropriating charitable funds to aid the massive migrant crisis at the border.

Paxton said evidence he received from Rep. Troy Nehls, a Republican congressman from Texas, and other complainants gave him probable cause to open the investigation into the Texas Bar Foundation.

“Unfortunately, at the very time that our state is facing an unprecedented border crisis and our brave men and women are serving Texas in Operation Lone Star, it appears that the liberal State Bar’s handpicked cronies are misusing charitable funds to make the situation even worse,” Paxton said Friday.

“I will not let this illegal behavior continue any further. Thank you to Congressman Nehls and other concerned citizens for bringing this to my attention,” he added.

In a letter to Texas Bar Foundation, Paxton said he had received information that the group, the charitable arm of the state lawyers’ bar, “is knowingly giving donations to entities that encourage, participate in, and fund illegal immigration at the Texas-Mexico border.

“Specifically, the complaints indicate the Texas Bar Foundation provides grants to organizations that support, fund, and encourage illegal immigration. The complaints allege this is an improper use of charitable funds such that funds are diverted from their intended purpose,” the letter added.

Paxton demanded the bar turn over to his investigators evidence that includes documentation showing:

• All grants to immigration-related charitable programs and organizations for the past 10 years;
• The monitoring, reporting and accountability requirements for use of those funds awarded to such organizations;
• the Foundation’s final accounting and reporting from the grantee organizations reflecting how the funds were specifically utilized;
• Board and/or committee meeting minutes discussing the awarding, monitoring, reporting and accounting of any such programs and/or grantee organizations.
• Names of appointees made to the Texas Bar Foundation by the current State Bar of Texas President Sylvia Borunda Firth.

Alistair Dawson, the Chairman-Elect of the Texas Bar Foundation, said Friday the group has made more than $24 million charitable donations over the last half-century, does not use tax dollars, has done nothing wrong and will cooperate with the probe,

"The Foundation is extremely disappointed to learn that AG Paxton has decided to use taxpayer dollars on a fruitless exercise,” Dawson said in a statement, “Had AG Paxton taken the time to come and speak with us rather than issue a press release, I am confident that he would have found no wrongdoing on the part of the Foundation.

“Nevertheless, the Foundation is happy to cooperate and provide the AG's office with documents and information relevant to the investigation,” he added.

In an interview with John Solomon Reports podcast on Friday, Nels said the insure border that is now being crossed by more than 200,000 illegal migrants a month is likely to become a driving force in the mid-term elections and lead to a significant rebuke of Democrats  starting with President Joe Biden.

"Go ahead sleepy Joe, continue down this path,” Nehls said. “And there will be that tsunami in 2022.. The American people don't agree with what's taking place at our southern border, and the 100,000 lives that are lost each year because of fentanyl."