Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing another Texas state agency for what he calls outright discrimination against Christians and religious groups.
This latest lawsuit targets the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, accusing the agency of blocking churches and faith-based nonprofits from fully participating in housing and homelessness programs unless they suppress religious expression. The filing points to rules that prohibit use of program funds for “sectarian or explicitly religious activities such as worship, religious instruction or proselytization.”
Paxton argues these policies effectively blacklist religious groups from state-supported participation simply because of their faith.
“State agencies have no authority to force Christians and other religious organizations to censor their beliefs just to serve their communities,” said Paxton. “Constitutionally protected religious liberty must be upheld in Texas and across the country. These TDHCA’s provisions within certain programs, which deter funding from going towards churches and religious organizations, must be struck down.”
The lawsuit argues that Texas cannot condition access to a public benefit on religious neutrality or require faith-based groups to scrub worship, teaching, or proselytization to be eligible for funds.
The restrictions span homelessness initiatives and the Bootstrap Loan Program, which assists low-income families with homeownership and repairs. Churches and other faith-based participants must affirmatively promise not to use any portion of the funds for religious purposes, and in some cases must embed that commitment in their own governing documents.
Paxton argues that secular organizations face no such limitations.
This marks Paxton’s second lawsuit in recent days against a Texas state agency for allegedly violating religious liberty, following his suit against the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board over “nonsectarian” restrictions in state work-study programs earlier this month.
The lawsuit also asserts that TDHCA Executive Director Bobby Wilkinson is acting beyond his lawful authority by enforcing policies Paxton says are unconstitutional.
Paxton is seeking both temporary and permanent injunctions to halt enforcement of the restrictions and asking the court to officially strike them down as unlawful.
The department did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
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