The Supreme Court of Texas just heard oral argument in a case challenging a remarkably punitive and malicious attack on religious liberty by the state of Texas. That attack isn’t just dangerous on its own terms, it’s also a potential preview of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. MAGA’s cruelty toward immigrants and its disregard for civil liberties are on full display in the Lone Star State.
Last year, on Feb. 7, lawyers from the Texas attorney general’s office showed up at Annunciation House, a religious nonprofit founded by local Catholics that provides food, shelter and clothing for migrants in El Paso, and demanded “immediate access” to its records regarding its past and current residents.
As Annunciation House explained in a brief to the Texas Supreme Court, the subpoena stated that the shelter would forfeit its right to do business in the state if it failed to comply. Annunciation House requested time to speak to a lawyer, and Texas granted it 24 hours to comply, but again threatened to close the shelter if it didn’t.
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