Pope Francis calls Texas AG Ken Paxton’s attacks on El Paso’s Annunciation House ‘madness’

The Texas attorney general’s attack on El Paso’s Annunciation House is “madness,” Pope Francis said during a “60 Minutes” interview.

Pope Francis was asked specifically during a May 19 interview with CBS “60 Minutes” reporter Norah O’Donnell about Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filing a lawsuit against the El Paso Catholic nonprofit organization, whose goals are to help immigrants seeking asylum.

“That is madness, sheer madness,” Pope Francis said. “To close the border and leave them there, that is madness. The migrant has to be received. Thereafter, you see how you’re going to deal with them. Maybe you have to send them back. I don’t know. But each case ought to be considered humanely.”

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The Pope’s comments come after Paxton filed a lawsuit demanding the Annunciation House be shut down. Paxton claimed the nonprofit organization is a “stash house” protecting migrants illegally in the U.S.

Texas Attorney General’s Office officials could not be reached for comment.

More: Texas AG Ken Paxton’s moves to have El Paso’s Annunciation House closed temporarily

The Annunciation House has offered hospitality to migrants and refugees in El Paso for decades. The volunteer organization has played a critical role in helping migrants released by Border Patrol officials who are seeking asylum in the U.S. or other forms of immigration relief.

Annunciation House director Ruben Garcia said it was “gratifying” to hear Pope Francis speak about the importance of organizations such as the Annunciation House to provide humane services to migrants fleeing their country and asking for help.

“The Pope responded ‘that’s crazy,’” Garcia said. “It is gratifying to me that what the Pope is emphasizing is not only the relationship Annunciation House has, but really in the face of refugees all over the world that are fleeing their countries because they’re afraid or they can’t sustain their families and they’re crossing borders all over the world. It is crazy that organizations, NGOs, churches are trying to do the humanitarian work of receiving and providing the basic human needs to people, and that somebody would want to stop that. That is just crazy.”

Paxton’s mission of shutting down the Annunciation House began in February when he sent three lawyers to the Annunciation House demanding the nonprofit turn over the documents. The documents included names, dates of births, medical history, medications needed by the migrants, and the names of the migrants’ family members.

Annunciation House officials declined to release the documents and filed a lawsuit seeking a judge’s ruling on what documents the nonprofit must legally release.

More: Judge: Texas AG’s office acted “unprofessionally” in request for Annunciation House records

Paxton responded by filing a counter lawsuit claiming the Annunciation House is a “stash house” protecting migrants illegally in the U.S.

The lawsuits remain pending with a hearing a expected to be held in June, Garcia said.

For Garcia, the Pope’s comments show the work being done by Annunciation House, and other nonprofits across the global, is the morally right actions to address mass migration crisis. Garcia enjoys the support of a powerful world leader.

More: El Paso leaders blast Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton lawsuit against Annunciation House

“It’s affirming,” Garcia said. “It’s affirming for me. It’s affirming for many other people who work tirelessly, who get up everyday to make sure that meals are prepared, that cots have sheets, that care packages put together, that travel plans are made, that the door is opened. It’s very affirming. The Pope is obviously a very powerful voice when it comes to the moral issues facing our world and to know that he’s got your back is truly gratifying.”

Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.