EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez has filed an amicus curiae or "friend of the court" brief with the Texas Supreme Court in support of El Paso's Annunciation House, her office announced on Sunday, Jan. 12. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been seeking to shut down Annunciation House since last February, alleging that the El Paso-based network of migrant shelters encourages illegal immigration and is a de facto stash house. Texas AG sues Annunciation House, seeks to revoke its ability to operate in state The Texas Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case starting at 8 a.m. Mountain time on Monday, Jan. 13, the County Attorney's Office said. The friend of the court brief filed by Sanchez urges the state's highest court to deny Paxton's attempt to shut down the nonprofit organization. "Annunciation House has been a cornerstone of the El Paso community for over 45 years, providing essential services to migrants, immigrants, and refugees. The organization provides temporary shelter, legal services, food, medicine, donated clothing, and helps connect migrants to family members in the U.S. These services are vital to protecting the health and safety of both migrants and the El Paso community," the County Attorney's Office said in its news release. Sanchez added that "Annunciation House plays a critical role in our community." "They provide a safety net for vulnerable individuals and families, and their closure would have devastating consequences for El Paso," Sanchez added. The county attorney's brief argues that shutting down Annunciation House would: • Force migrants onto the streets, creating a public health and safety crisis. This would lead to increased crime, disease, and strain on local government resources. • Create an unfunded mandate for El Paso County. The County would be forced to expend significant resources to provide food, shelter, and healthcare to migrants who are currently being served by Annunciation House. • Weaken the humanitarian infrastructure in El Paso. The attorney general's actions against Annunciation House will discourage other organizations and individuals from providing aid to migrants. The brief also highlights that Annunciation House has a long-standing relationship with federal immigration authorities and that the organization works closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to ensure that migrants are released to appropriate sponsors and that they have access to the resources they need. "El Paso is a welcoming and compassionate community, and we are proud to support Annunciation House and the work they do," Sanchez said. "We urge the Texas Supreme Court to uphold the lower court's ruling and allow Annunciation House to continue serving our community."