LULAC has called for the Justice Department to investigate Paxton’s office for potential violations of the Voting Rights Act. They accuse Paxton’s office of conducting illegal searches based on voter fraud allegations.

LULAC has voiced concerns about a history of voter suppression and intimidation targeting Black and Latino communities, especially in states like Texas, which have undergone significant demographic shifts. CEO Juan Proaño and national president Roman Palomares expressed these concerns in a letter.

The Justice Department has acknowledged receiving the letter but declined to comment further. Paxton’s office has announced undercover operations and investigations into allegations of organizations unlawfully registering noncitizens to vote.

LULAC officials have reported that some members in Texas were targeted in these raids, with their laptops and cell phones confiscated by Texas authorities executing search warrants. The raids specifically targeted Latino activists across the state.

Juan Proaño, LULAC’s CEO, raised concerns about voter intimidation, describing Paxton’s efforts as blatant intimidation. LULAC officials highlighted instances where their members, such as Lidia Martinez and Manuel Medina, were targeted by law enforcement.

During the raids, law enforcement seized Martinez’s phone, computer, personal calendar, blank voter registration forms, and certificate to conduct voter registration. During a press conference denouncing the raid, the 87-year-old long-time LULAC member emphasized her rights, stating, “This is a free country; this is not Russia.”

Paxton’s office said it would continue to conduct undercover operations, mentioning that they received a referral regarding “allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting that occurred during the 2022 elections.” The office indicated a two-year investigation provided enough evidence to obtain the search warrants.

This unit was established post-Trump’s 2020 election loss to probe alleged voter fraud across the state, despite the Trump administration’s assertion that the election had been secure.

Paxton reaffirmed his office’s commitment to investigating credible reports of potential criminal activity that could compromise the integrity of elections. He also linked this effort to the current administration’s immigration policies, expressing concerns about the influence of illegal aliens on elections at various levels.