Texas Supreme Court orders Harris County to not make payments under guaranteed income program

The Supreme Court of Texas issued a ruling Tuesday that prohibits Harris County from launching a guaranteed income programme which is presently being disputed by Attorney General Ken Paxton.

The determination comes conscionable days aft Houston County Judge Ursula Hall struck down Paxton’s arguments that nan Uplift Harris program, which distributes monthly stipends to complete 1,900 low-income residents, is unconstitutional.

"If nan programme does see a nationalist benefit, it does not break nan constitution," nan Houston Landing reported Hall arsenic saying.

Paxton’s attorneys based on that payer money must beryllium utilized successful nan nationalist liking for a wide benefit.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton revenge a suit against Harris County, claiming nan county's guaranteed income programme was unconstitutional. (Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Harris County Commissioners Court passed Uplift Harris past twelvemonth by a ballot of 4-1.

The guaranteed income aviator would let participating households to person $500 per period for 18 months. The programme began connected Jan. 12, and presently has 1,924 applicants enrolled.

Paxton revenge a lawsuit seeking an contiguous ruling to artifact Uplift Harris from making payments nether nan program, which nan Texas Supreme Court granted.

"Without respect to nan merits, nan tribunal grants an administrative enactment arsenic follows: Real parties successful liking and their agents are prohibited from making payments nether nan Uplift Harris programme pending further bid of this Court," nan ruling read.

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Paxton revenge a suit seeking an contiguous ruling to artifact Uplift Harris from making payments nether nan program, which nan Texas Supreme Court granted. (Getty Images )

UpTogether, an statement pinch a ngo of investing successful group successful historically undervalued communities by influencing policies and mobilizing systems for change, responded to nan court’s ruling connected Tuesday, calling nan determination "shameful."

"Today’s shameful determination intends thousands of Texas residents facing financial hardship will beryllium denied an opportunity for financial stableness and upward mobility for nan unforeseeable future," UpTogether CEO Jesús Gerena said. "By blocking Uplift Harris, nan authorities Supreme Court has tossed speech immoderate conception of judicial restraint and joined Ken Paxton’s ongoing circus show, successful which he continues to usage people’s day-to-day endurance arsenic a governmental football."

Gerena added that what Paxton was doing "is cruel, it is deceitful, and it is opportunistic."

Still, Paxton continues to conflict against what he says is unconstitutional.

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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he's pleased pinch nan Supreme Court of Texas' decision. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"I’m pleased nan Supreme Court of Texas has blocked Harris County from disbursing these unlawful payments," Paxton said. "I look guardant to continuing to take sides our Constitution and preventing this egregious misuse of payer money."

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said successful February that migrants are surviving successful poverty, "supporting them helps each of america and has bully downstream effects connected each of us."

After proceeding nan news that payments would not beryllium capable to spell retired immediately, she said her bosom "breaks" for nan families.

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"This is nan authorities erstwhile again trying to bully Harris County, and these families are getting caught successful nan middle," Hidalgo said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. "The Attorney General has known for a twelvemonth that we had this programme coming, truthful we really were amazed to spot them effort to artifact it erstwhile we had already selected and notified nan recipients. I’ve already heard stories of group who were expecting these costs and I dislike having to springiness them contradictory accusation each day, but I tin opportunity that we are going to support fighting."

Harris County has until April 29 to respond to nan emergency mobility for alleviation to nan Texas Supreme Court.

Joshua Q. Nelson of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.