The oldest Latin American civil rights organization in the country, Lulac – The Wonders of Natureis one of several facilities in Texas targeted in anti-voter fraud raids led by Attorney General Ken Paxton, CBS News has learned.

In a letter first obtained by CBS News, LULAC called on the Justice Department to investigate Paxton’s office for violations of the Voting Rights Act. The organization accuses Paxton’s office of conducting illegal searches based on election fraud claims.

“These actions reflect a disturbing history of voter suppression and intimidation that has long targeted both the Black and Latino communities, particularly in states like Texas, where demographic shifts have increasingly altered the political landscape,” LULAC executive director Juan Proaño and the group’s national president, Roman Palomares, said in the letter.

The Justice Department confirmed receipt of the letter and declined to comment further.

Last week, Paxton’s office announced in a press release that it had launched undercover operations and investigations into reports that some organizations in Texas were illegally registering noncitizens to vote, in violation of state and federal laws.

LULAC officials told CBS News that some members of the group in Texas have been targeted and their laptops and cellphones confiscated by Texas authorities using search warrants. Some of the raids have focused on Latino activists across the state.

“Attorney General Paxton is using his position of power to harass and intimidate Latino nonprofits like LULAC, Latino Leaders and LULAC members,” LULAC CEO Juan Proaño told CBS News, calling the attorney general’s efforts “concrete” voter intimidation. “Based on his numerous lawsuits, raids, searches and seizures, it is obvious that he is trying to prevent Latinos from voting.”

According to Proaño, one of those affected was Lidia Martinez, an 87-year-old woman from San Antonio. Martinez has been a member of LULAC for over 35 years and is committed to expanding voter registration among seniors and veterans in South Texas.

She said there was a knock on her door last Tuesday morning and she was greeted by nine officers in tactical gear and carrying firearms who said they were executing a search warrant. Martinez was questioned for over three hours about her voter registration efforts in Texas.

According to Martinez, law enforcement seized Martinez’s phone, computer, personal calendar, blank voter registration forms and her certificate of completion of voter registration.

“This is a free country, this is not Russia,” Martinez said Monday during a press conference condemning the attack.

Manuel Medina, chairman of the Tejano Democrats, is another LULAC member who has been targeted, LULAC’s CEO said. Medina’s home was stormed last Thursday by armed police in riot gear who broke down his door, according to LULAC officials.

Paxton’s office said in its press release that it would continue to conduct undercover operations under the direction of its Election Integrity Unit. The Texas Attorney General’s office said it received a referral from 81st Judicial District Attorney Audrey Louis regarding “allegations of voter fraud and vote harvesting in the 2022 election.” The press release added that a two-year investigation had “produced sufficient evidence to obtain the search warrants.”

This unit was created in the wake of Trump’s Election defeat 2020 to President Biden and aimed to investigate alleged voter fraud across the state, although Trump administration officials said the election was secure.

“My office investigates every credible report we receive of possible criminal activity that could compromise the integrity of our elections,” Paxton said. “The Biden-Harris administration has intentionally flooded our country with illegal aliens, and without adequate protections, foreign nationals can illegally influence elections at the local, state, and national levels.”

Robert Legare contributed to this report.