What to know after Texas authorities searched the homes of Latino campaign volunteers

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A series of raids in Texas on the homes of Latino campaign volunteers has outraged civil rights groups who want federal action after officers seized electronics and documents as part of a state investigation into alleged election fraud.

No charges have been filed against those who had their homes searched this month around San Antonio. The targets of the raids, including an 87-year-old campaign volunteer, and their supporters say they did nothing wrong and have called the searches an attempt to suppress Latino voters.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office is leading the investigation, has said little beyond confirming that agents executed search warrants.

Here’s what to know:

Why were the homes searched?

Paxton has said his office’s Election Integrity Unit began looking into the allegations after receiving a referral from a local prosecutor.

He said that the investigation involved “allegations of election fraud and vote harvesting” and that a two-year probe provided sufficient evidence to obtain a search warrant.

“Secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic,” Paxton said in a statement last week. “We were glad to assist when the District Attorney referred this case to my office for investigation

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