Texas AG Paxton sues NGO aiding migrants, accuses it of encouraging illegal immigration

FIRST ON FOX: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a Catholic non-governmental organization operating in the state and wants to have its registration revoked, alleging that it is encouraging illegal immigration and operating a stash house for those entering illegally.

Paxton has sued Annunciation House — a Catholic nonprofit set up in the 1980s — and is seeking to revoke its registration to operate in Texas.

Annunciation House describes itself as a volunteer organization that "offers hospitality to migrants, immigrants, and refugees in El Paso, Texas."

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"Rooted in Catholic social teaching, the volunteers of Annunciation House live simply and in community, in the same houses as the guests we serve, who are mostly from Mexico and Central America," the group’s website says. "We also participate in advocacy and education around immigration issues. We seek to be a voice for justice and compassion, especially on behalf of the most marginalized of our society."

But Paxton’s lawsuit accuses the group of "openly and flagrantly violating many provisions of law in a systemic fashion." Specifically, it accuses it of providing shelter to illegal immigrants who have evaded law enforcement, of encouraging illegal immigration, of engaging in human smuggling and of operating a "stash house."

"Annunciation House appears to be engaged in the operation of an illegal stash house by potentially allowing others to use its real estate to engage in human smuggling," the lawsuit says.

Paxton’s office had requested records from the organization to evaluate potential violations of federal law. However, the organization in turn sued the AG’s office, seeking a restraining order and accusing it of making an impossible demand due to its limited volunteer staff and of violating its "constitutional rights of association."

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The lawsuit requests that its right to operate in Texas is terminated and also asks the court to appoint a receiver to liquidate its assets.

"The chaos at the southern border has created an environment where NGOs, funded with taxpayer money from the Biden Administration, facilitate astonishing horrors including human smuggling," Paxton said in a statement. "While the federal government perpetuates the lawlessness destroying this country, my office works day in and day out to hold these organizations responsible for worsening illegal immigration."

In a statement, Annunciation House said it "does its work of accompaniment out of the Gospel mandate to welcome the stranger."  

"This is no different from the work of schools who enroll migrant children, the clinics and hospitals who care for the needs of their ill, the churches, synagogues, and mosques who welcome their families to join in worship," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "For the Attorney General to suddenly attack Annunciation House after forty-six years of service to the poor is simply shameful."
 

The legal battle comes amid a broader fight between Texas, which has promoted border security and sought to block illegal immigrants entering the U.S., and the federal government, which has embraced the role of NGOs in processing and aiding illegal immigrants and has sought millions in funding from Congress for groups and communities that receive them.

There was a record 2.4 million migrant encounters in fiscal 2023, and December set a record for encounters with more than 301,000 in that month alone. The House last week impeached DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of the crisis. Articles of impeachment now go to the Senate for a trial.

Fox News' Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues 5 cities over marijuana amnesty policies, cites drug’s reported links to ‘psychosis’

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against five Texas cities – Austin, Denton, San Marcos, Killeen and Elgin – over their marijuana amnesty and non-prosecution policies. 

The litigation charges that the five municipalities adopted ordinances or policies instructing police not to enforce Texas drug laws concerning possession and distribution of marijuana, which the state attorney general's office describes as "an illicit substance that psychologists have increasingly linked to psychosis and other negative consequences."

"I will not stand idly by as cities run by pro-crime extremists deliberately violate Texas law and promote the use of illicit drugs that harm our communities," Paxton said in a statement Wednesday. "This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to ‘follow the law.’ It’s quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don’t allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce."

The ordinances notably prevent city funds from going toward or personnel from even testing suspected marijuana seized by police officers, with limited exceptions. 

The attorney general's office said Paxton "remains committed to maintaining law and order in Texas when cities violate the lawful statutes designed to protect the public from crime, drugs, and violence. He continues to seek accountability for the rogue district attorneys whose abuse of prosecutorial discretion has contributed to a deadly national crimewave." 

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The lawsuits stress that Texas Local Government Code forbids any political subdivision from adopting "a policy under which the entity will not fully enforce laws relating to drugs." Further, the Texas Constitution notes that it is unlawful for municipalities to adopt ordinances that are inconsistent with the laws enacted by the Texas Legislature (Article 9, Section 5). 

Namely, with the Democratically-run city of Austin, Paxton's lawsuit takes issue with an order that became effective on July 3, 2020, instructing the Austin Police Department not to make an arrest or issue a citation for marijuana possession unless in the investigation of a violent felony or high priority felony-level narcotics case. 

A ballot measure known as Proposition A to further eliminate low-level marijuana enforcement later won the vote in 2022, and the City Council codified it into law as the Austin Freedom Act. 

In addition to limiting police from filing marijuana possession charges unless they come as part of a high-level probe or at the direction of a commander, the measure also states that no city funds or personnel shall be used to request, conduct, or obtain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) testing of any cannabis-related substance, except in some limited circumstances. It adds the caveat that the prohibition shall not limit the ability of police to conduct toxicology testing to ensure public safety, nor shall it limit THC testing for the purpose of any violent felony charge.

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Austin, Denton, San Marcos, Killeen and Eligin are all considered "home-rule" jurisdictions, meaning they have the "full power of self-government" and do not need grants from the state legislature to enact local ordinances.

In Killeen, located next to the once embattled Fort Hood, since renamed Fort Cavazos, voters approved a Proposition A of their own in 2022. 

It similarly states that officers should not make arrests for marijuana possession or drug residue alone. If there is probable cause to believe a substance is marijuana, officers can seize the substance. But the ordinance requires that police then also write a detailed report and release the individual if possession of marijuana is the sole charge. 

In Denton, located in the Dallas Fort-Worth metro area, another similar measure enacted by City Council known as Proposition B says officers cannot issue citations or make arrests for Class A or B misdemeanor marijuana possession. Elgin, considered a suburb of Austin, and San Marcos, which sits on the corridor between Austin and San Antonio, also both adopted similar ordinances designed to stifle marijuana enforcement in conflict with state law, according to Paxton's lawsuits.

The litigation comes after headline-making news out of California, where a judge recently ruled a woman who stabbed her boyfriend 108 times before slicing her own neck as police tried to stop her will not serve any prison time because she had fallen into a pot-fueled psychosis after getting high on drugs at the time. 

Though unrelated, the marijuana lawsuits were filed just a day after the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to temporarily halt Paxton's scheduled testimony in a whistleblower lawsuit that was at the heart of the impeachment charges brought against him in 2023, delaying what could have been the Republican’s first sworn statements on corruption allegations. 

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee criticized for saying impeachment is not meant to be used for revenge

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, was criticized after standing up for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Tuesday, saying on social media that impeachment should not be used for revenge.

The House Homeland Security Committee met Tuesday to advance two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas, accusing him of refusing to follow immigration law and of breaching the public’s trust. A vote is expected to take place later in the day, and will likely fall on party lines, moving the articles to a House vote at a future date.

While Republican committee members continued their assault against Mayorkas, Jackson Lee turned to social media to express her stance on the matter.

"Impeachment is not meant as a tool to be used for revenge. #RevengeImpeachment," Jackson Lee posted to X.

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The tweet was in response to a video of her during the impeachment hearing, where she said they were "being fooled" in regards to the accusations against Mayorkas.

"Today, we are being fooled that work is being done against an individual for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. The American people understand that that is not the actions that we are here for today," Jackson Lee said. "Revenge, vengefulness is why we are here. Otherwise, they would understand that Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is an individual whose family fled the Nazis and then Cuba before arriving here in the U.S.

"He is the first immigrant to serve as head of the Department of Homeland Security, and yet, this committee seeks to suggest that he is violating the Constitution, when in essence, his freedom is based upon our Constitution," she added.

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Jackson Lee faced harsh criticism for her comments from some people, though, including Aaron Ray Hermes, a Texas Republican candidate gunning for the congresswoman’s seat.

"Oh so wanting to protect the country is just ‘revenge’ now?" Hermes tweeted. "Then why did you impeach Trump for making a perfectly valid phone call in 2019? Keep lying and we’ll keep showing up with receipts. Can’t wait to take your seat."

Others attempted to remind Jackson Lee that the Democratic Party used impeachment as revenge against former President Trump.

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"Did you post this comment when you all did the revenge impeachment of Trump," one user wrote, while another posted, "Haha! Says the Impeachment Democratic Party."

Still, House Democrats, including Jackson Lee, have backed Mayorkas on the matter of impeachment, and on Monday, they released a lengthy report that accused the Republican majority of abusing the impeachment process and running a "sham" process while sabotaging Mayorkas’ efforts to manage the border crisis.

Fox News Digital's Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Texas lawmaker calls for AG Ken Paxton impeachment inquiry to be reopened

A Texas state senator wants to reopen the impeachment case against state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

State Sen. Drew Springer, a Republican from Muenster, urged his colleagues in the Texas Senate to take a second look at impeachment charges against Paxton after the attorney general said he would not contest allegations in a whistleblower lawsuit. 

"He cannot admit guilt while claiming innocence," Springer wrote on X. "I urge the Lt. Gov & my Senate colleagues to consider reopening Paxton's impeachment. Paxton has not only admitted to violating the articles of impeachment, but he is exposing Texas taxpayers to a settlement of WELL OVER $3.3M. Texans deserve the truth!"

Paxton was acquitted in September of all impeachment articles filed against him for corruption and unfitness for office. He had faced accusations that he misused his political power to help real estate developer Nate Paul — allegations that stemmed from a lawsuit filed by four former employees who reported him to the FBI. 

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The whistleblowers — Blake Brickman, Ryan Vassar, Mark Penley and David Maxwell — claimed that they were unjustly terminated for reporting Paxton. 

Springer voted for Paxton's acquittal on 16 impeachment charges at trial in September. However, he now says that "recent developments have made me question whether AG Paxton and his legal team misled the Senate." 

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What happened? Last week, the Office of the Attorney General said in a court filing it could "obtain a verdict in this case in its favor," but instead moved to settle the lawsuit to "stop the self-aggrandizing political weaponization of our State’s courts by rogue employees who have what seems to be a monomaniacal goal to undermine the will of the voters," FOX 7 Austin reported.

"Doing so precludes further unwarranted expense to the people of the State of Texas as well as the disruption to the State’s principal law enforcement arm — the time and personnel of which are more appropriately dedicated to the business of the State of Texas and not the personal, political agenda of four rogue, former employees," the filing states.

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In the filing, Paxton stated, "OAG hereby elects not to contest any issue of fact in this case, as to the claim or damages." 

Springer argues this amounts to an admission of guilt that should be reviewed by the legislature.

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"While AG Paxton claims this decision is not an admission of guilt, the fact of the matter is it is an admission of guilt. He can't accept the whistleblower's claims against him while touting that he's innocent against those very claims," Springer said. 

The Office of the Attorney General did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mayorkas blames Mexico, Congress for historic border surge; calls for more funding and ‘reform’

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visited Eagle Pass, Texas on Monday to discuss the ongoing crisis at the southern border.

During a press conference, Mayorkas acknowledged there were unprecedented levels of illegal crossings that put "tremendous stress on our broken immigration system [and] our under-resourced facilities." 

"Our immigration system is outdated and broken and has been in need of reform for literally decades," Mayorkas said. 

He called on Congress to provide additional funding for more officers and judges who can resolve asylum claims quickly. Mayorkas also blamed historic surges in December on a lack of funding for the Immigration Enforcement Agency in Mexico. 

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The comments came days ahead of an impeachment hearing into the DHS Secretary over his handling of the southern border. Under his watch, hundreds of thousands of migrants crossed into the U.S., with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) sources telling Fox News Digital last month that there were more than 276,000 migrant encounters near the end of December, setting a new record for crossings in a month. 

The previous record was set in September when officials saw 269,735 encounters. The number includes illegal immigrants encountered between ports of entry and migrants entering at ports of entry via the CBP One app.

If impeached, Mayorkas would be the first Cabinet secretary to receive the black mark since 1876. 

In Eagle Pass, Mayorkas pushed back on the notion that DHS was not enforcing the border. 

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"Some have accused DHS of not enforcing our nation’s laws. This could not be further from the truth," Mayorkas said. "There is nothing I take more seriously than our responsibility to uphold the law and the men and women of DHS are working around the clock to do so." 

He noted that, through the end of the fiscal year, "DHS removed or returned more noncitizens without a basis to remain in the United States than in any other five-month period in the last ten years." 

"In fact, the majority of all migrants encountered at the Southwest border throughout this administration have been removed, returned, or expelled," he said. 

The comments appeared to be at odds with remarks he made earlier during a private meeting with agents in Eagle Pass, admitting to Border Patrol agents that the current rate of release for illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border is "above 85%." 

As officials continue to be overwhelmed at the U.S. border, many court dates for asylum claims are being set years into the future including, in one case, as late as 2031.

Senate negotiators met Monday morning as they raced to finish work on the legislative text for a bipartisan border security proposal aimed at reducing the number of migrants who travel to the southern border to apply for asylum protections in the U.S.

The small group of senators has been working for months on the legislation after Republicans insisted on pairing border policy changes with supplemental funding for Ukraine, but disagreements remained.

The Biden administration has also been directly involved in the talks as the president tries to both secure support for a top foreign policy priority — funding Ukraine's defense against Russia — and demonstrate action on a potential political weakness — his handling of the historic number of migrants seeking asylum at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Biden has faced staunch resistance from conservatives to his $110 billion request for a package of wartime aid for Ukraine and Israel as well as other national security priorities. In the Senate, Republicans have demanded that the funding be paired with border security changes.

Fox News’ Houston Keene and Adam Shaw contributed to this report. 

DHS chief Mayorkas calls out Texas for ‘failure of governance’ amid illegal immigrant crisis and impeachment

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called out Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday, labeling his migrant busing policy "a remarkable failure of governance." 

Mayorkas, who faces impeachment proceedings in the House for his handling of the illegal immigration crisis, blamed Abbott, a Republican, for failing to cooperate with officials in Democrat-led cities that have been overwhelmed by migrant arrivals. 

"Let me identify one fundamental problem here, and that is the fact that we have one governor in the state of Texas who is refusing to cooperate with other governors and other local officials," Mayorkas said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Emphasizing the need for the country to "stand united" on immigration, Mayorkas said, "it's a remarkable failure of governance to refuse to cooperate with one's fellow local and state officials." 

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Abbot began bussing migrants to New York City and other sanctuary jurisdictions last year in protest of the Biden administration's border policies. Abbott’s office has said it has sent around 27,000 migrants to New York City since then and has done so to relieve pressure on besieged border communities.

The illegal immigration crisis — which broke a record in December with over 300,000 encounters at the border in a single month — has put a strain on Democrat-led cities that lack the resources to house them. New York and Chicago have attempted to unload migrants in surrounding suburban neighborhoods, which in turn have complained that they cannot house them and threatened to send migrant buses back to the Texas-Mexico border. 

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last week his city is at a "breaking point" after 161.000 migrants have arrived since spring 2022, including those who have arrived on their own. The mayor issued an executive order restricting when and where buses may drop off migrants, but a "loophole" in the city's order was reportedly found after migrants were delivered to train stations in New Jersey, from which they departed for the Big Apple. 

"We're dealing with a bully right now, and everything is on the table that conforms with the law," Adams said of Abbott on Tuesday. 

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Mayorkas told MSNBC that federal teams have been dispatched to Chicago, Denver and New York to assist in managing migrant arrivals and ensure that migrants eligible to work receive their work authorization as quickly as possible. 

"We've also successfully sought some funding from Congress to assist cities, and in our supplemental budget request we've requested additional funding for that purpose," Mayorkas said. 

House Republicans have blamed Mayorkas as the border crisis has worsened under his leadership. The Homeland Security Committee will hold its first impeachment hearing into the secretary on Jan. 10 as Republicans accuse Mayorkas of refusing to enforce immigration laws.

Mayorkas said he will "certainly" cooperate with the committee's investigation and "continue to do my work as well." 

Fox News Digital's Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, Anders Hagstrom, Houston Keene and Adam Shaw contributed to this report.

Texas AG Ken Paxton, wife targeted by home ‘swatting’ on New Year’s Day

FIRST ON FOX: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife are the latest elected Republicans to fall victim to "swatting" after a false report using their home's address was made to authorities.

Addressing the swatting incident in a statement to Fox News Digital, Paxton and his wife, Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton, said they were not at their McKinney home on New Year's Day when first responders arrived on the scene. The couple described the false report to police as being a "life-threatening" situation.

"On New Year’s Day, a currently unidentified caller made a false report to 911 describing a life-threatening situation at our home in McKinney," the couple said. "As a result, the City of McKinney Police and Fire Departments quickly and bravely responded to what they believed could be a dangerous environment. We were not home at the time and were made aware of the false report when a state trooper, who was contacted by McKinney police, informed us of the incident."

"Making false reports to 911 is a crime which should be vigorously prosecuted when this criminal is identified. These fake calls divert resources from actual emergencies and crimes and could endanger our first responders," the couple continued. "We are grateful for the bravery and professionalism of the men and women serving in the McKinney police and fire departments."

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"It is also important to acknowledge that this 'swatting' incident happened weeks after the disgraced Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, his lieutenants, and the Dallas Morning News doxed our family by publicly posting our address," they added. "We understand some people may not agree with our strong conservative efforts to secure the border, prevent election fraud, and protect our constitutional liberties, but compromising the effectiveness and safety of law enforcement is completely unacceptable."

The McKinney Police Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on the matter.

"Swatting" is a crime that has become prominent in recent years, gaining more steam in the social media age when people's addresses are easily accessible.

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley told Fox News Digital recently that swatting is a crime that could be "charged as a form of criminal threats."

"Swatting constitutes a false police report that can be criminally charged," Turley said. "Virginia recently passed a new law making swatting specifically a criminal misdemeanor. It can also be charged as a form of criminal threats."

The incident involving Paxton comes after three Republican lawmakers – Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene of Georgia, and Rep. Brandon Williams of New York – reported "swatting" incidents at their homes after the Christmas holiday.

"This is a crime that flourishes because there is insufficient deterrent," Turley added. "The anonymity and rare prosecutions combine to fuel this form of criminal harassment. … There is no mystery to how to address these crimes. There must be greater detection and penalties to achieve deterrence."

The crime targets an individual by calling in a false police report for a violent crime — such as a murder, a hostage situation or other crimes that would require a greater law enforcement response — to the home of the target.

The goal of the false police report is to elicit a SWAT team response by the police to the target's home. Consequently, swatting draws police resources away from real crimes while the state becomes the unwitting arm to terrorize a person at their own home.

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Greene, who has been a victim of the move multiple times herself, announced last week on X that she would be "introducing legislation to make it much easier for law enforcement to arrest and prosecutors to prosecute these criminals" who engage in the false reports.

Over the course of the last year, Paxton has faced an onslaught of accusations from officials in the state, primarily Texas Democrats, who have accused the attorney general of being unfit for office.

Last May, the Texas House of Representatives voted to impeach Paxton over charges of bribery, disregard of official duties and abuse of public trust after hours of debate in an afternoon session – sending the case to the state Senate. The Texas Senate, however, acquitted Paxton of all impeachment articles filed against him for corruption and unfitness for office in September 2023.

Though there was support for impeachment on both sides of the aisle, votes to convict on each charge did not clear the required 21-vote threshold in the Senate. Republican Sens. Robert Nichols and Kelly Hancock joined all 12 Democrats to vote in favor of conviction on several charges.

"Today, the truth prevailed. The truth could not be buried by mudslinging politicians or their powerful benefactors," Paxton said in a statement at the time, thanking his supporters after the verdict was delivered. "The sham impeachment coordinated by the Biden Administration with liberal House Speaker Dade Phelan and his kangaroo court has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, disrupted the work of the Office of Attorney General and left a dark and permanent stain on the Texas House."

"Now that this shameful process is over, my work to defend our constitutional rights will resume. Thank you to everyone who has stood with us during this time," he added.

Prior to his acquittal, Paxton faced accusations that he misused his political power to help real estate developer Nate Paul. Paxton's opponents have argued that the attorney general accepted a bribe by hiring Paul.

Paxton was also previously indicted in June for allegedly making false statements to banks.

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Paxton, who was suspended from office pending the trial's outcome, was not required to attend the proceedings. Paxton's wife, who has represented the state's eight district in the Senate since 2019, was required to be present for the whole trial but was prohibited from participating in debate or voting on the outcome of her husband's trial.

Paxton, who previously served as a member of both the Texas House and Senate, was first elected to serve as the Lone Star State's attorney general in 2014. He was re-elected to the position in 2018 and 2022.

Fox News' Chris Pandolfo, Houston Keene, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former Democrat offers advice for Texas mayor under fire for ditching Dem Party to join GOP

EXCLUSIVE: A Democrat-turned-Republican congressman has advice for Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who also decided to switch parties and become a Republican last week: Follow your "heart" and your "brain."

Speaking with Fox News Digital as the four-year anniversary of his own party flip draws nearer, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said he appreciated that Johnson came to the "same conclusion" as he did that the Democratic Party of years past was simply "no more."

"I appreciate what he did, and, as the mayor of Dallas, he came to the same conclusion that I did. He just didn't fit into the party anymore," Van Drew said. "You know, I was just constantly arguing, voting against all the different things they wanted to do. And it climaxed with the Trump impeachment, which was baseless and false."

"What they've done to our Department of Justice, what they've done to our FBI, what the attorney general has done, what the FBI director has done, what our secretary of state did and still does, all of this is awful," he added. "[Johnson] knows that this is wrong, and he came to the right conclusion. And I'd tell him to follow his heart and his brain and he will be fine."

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When asked if he had any regrets about switching parties in 2019, Van Drew gave the simplest of answers: "Not even in the slightest."

"The more I see and the more I hear, the happier I am that I have changed," he said. "I'm a conservative. There used to be room for something called a Blue Dog Democrat, a conservative Democrat. Those times are no more. I want people to know who are watching this, there is no longer really a conservative branch of the Democratic Party."

"This is not your mother's and father's or grandmother's or grandfather's Democratic Party. This is an extremely left-wing socialist party that wants to completely change our republic and completely destroy the American experience. So, I am happy that I changed," he added.

Van Drew said his strong feelings does not mean that Republicans, or anyone for that matter, are perfect, but it is a necessity to have "love of the United States of America in your heart and soul."

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"You have to believe in this great republic. And those are the kinds of elected officials and senators and congresspeople that we need," he said.

After news broke last week that Democrat New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was facing a federal indictment on bribery and corruption charges, which he denies any wrongdoing, Van Drew, who represents New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District, confirmed he was "strongly considering" a run to unseat him.

Van Drew told Fox that, beyond Menendez's alleged crimes, New Jerseyans are "tired" of high taxes, Democrats interfering in the relationship between parents and children, policies that degrade law enforcement, the amplification of "woke" culture in the military, and the controversial subjects being taught to children in schools.

"This is unbelievable stuff. And New Jerseyans by and large — yes, it's a blue state, but they're hard-working, good people that pay an awful lot in taxes and are trudging through life — they're sick of it. So, it's more than just about me. It really is about the United States of America. It really is about the state of New Jersey," he said, noting that it has been more than 50 years since the state put a Republican in the Senate.

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"So, I'm going to think about it, you know, very seriously. I'm going to work my way through — it requires speaking to my closest friends. It requires speaking to my family and my advisers and other folks. I want to do this carefully and I want to make sure right now, though, I am focused on my job as South Jersey's congressman," he said.

However, Van Drew dismissed any timeline for when he might make a decision on a potential run.

"I'm going to think about it long and hard, make sure I'm doing the right thing for the country, the right thing for New Jersey and the right thing for my congressional district. I love my congressional district, so it is all very, very important to me. And I'm going to make sure that I do the right thing," he said.

Texas law banning drag performances in front of children ruled unconstitutional by federal judge

The Texas law dubbed the "Drag Ban" that restricted "sexually oriented performances" in the presence of a child or on public property was ruled unconstitutional on Tuesday by a federal judge, who issued a permanent injunction barring state officials from enforcing it.

Senate Bill 12 was signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in June and was set to go into effect Sep. 1 but was blocked after being challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which filed a lawsuit against the law last month.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge David Hittner said the law was "an unconstitutional restriction on speech," and that it "violates the First Amendment as incorporated to Texas by the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution."

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The ruling further ordered Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other state officials to not enforce the law.

According to one of the definitions in the law, a "sexually oriented performance" means a visual performance that features "a male performer exhibiting as a female, or a female performer exhibiting as a male, who uses clothing, makeup, or other similar physical markers and who sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience" and "appeals to the prurient interest in sex."

Critics have referred to the law as a "drag ban," though its author and supporters claim it was proposed and signed into law to protect children.

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The ACLU filed its lawsuit in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas in Houston, and claimed the law "unconstitutionally singles out drag performances as a disfavored form of expression." It also asserted that several terms are not defined or are written in a way that targets protected expression.

Drag was described in the lawsuit as an "art form" that is "inherently expressive," and has no set standard. "As with any art form, there is nothing inherently sexual or obscene about drag," the lawsuit read. "Drag can be performed for any age level and in any venue, since drag artists tailor their performances to their audience."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Paxton's office for comment.

Fox News' Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

Texas AG Ken Paxton warns Biden administration after defeating ‘sham impeachment’: ‘Buckle up’

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a scathing letter directed towards the White House after he was acquitted of state impeachment charges Saturday.

Paxton, a Republican, was accused of corruption, bribery and unfitness for office by a bipartisan group of Texas state senators. All 12 Democrats in the jury voted for his impeachment, along with two Republicans: Sens. Robert Nichols and Kelly Hancock.

The attorney general was accused of misusing his political power to hire Nate Paul, a real state developer who employed Paxton's alleged mistress Laura Olson. Paul was indicted in June for allegedly making false statements to banks.

The jury needed 21 votes to confirm the impeachment, but a two-thirds majority was not reached. The vote finished just before 1 p.m. Saturday.

TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO IMPEACHMENT CHARGES AFTER SENATE ADVANCES CASE TO TRIAL

"The sham impeachment coordinated by the Biden Administration with liberal House Speaker Dade Phelan and his kangaroo court has cost taxpayers millions of dollars, disrupted the work of the Office of Attorney General and left a dark and permanent stain on the Texas House," Paxton's letter read.

"The weaponization of the impeachment process to settle political differences is not only wrong, it is immoral and corrupt," the embattled attorney general added.

IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF TEXAS REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON SET TO BEGIN

Paxton then accused the White House of promoting "lawless policies" and promised that President Biden will be "held accountable."

"Finally, I can promise the Biden Administration the following: buckle up because your lawless policies will not go unchallenged," the statement read. "We will not allow you to shred the constitution and infringe on the rights of Texans. You will be held accountable."

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a statement, but has not heard back.

Fox News' Chris Pandolfo and the Associated Press contributed to this report.