The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into a proposed Muslim community development in North Texas, citing concerns over possible violations of federal law.
The focus of the investigation is EPIC City, a 402-acre project supported by the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) in Josephine, Texas, approximately 40 miles northeast of Dallas. The development plan includes over 1,000 homes, a mosque, a K-12 faith-based school, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports facilities.
Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, Governor Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, and conservative activists have claimed that the project is intended to establish a Muslim-only community governed by Islamic law. Both EPIC officials and Islamic leaders have strongly denied these allegations.
Cornyn expressed his gratitude to Attorney General Bondi and the DOJ, stating, “I am grateful to Attorney General Bondi and the Department of Justice for hearing my concerns and opening an investigation into the proposed EPIC City development,” and emphasized that “Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no place in the Lone Star State.”
Within hours of the DOJ’s announcement, Governor Abbott confirmed that “no construction” is taking place at the site in Josephine, adding that “Texas has halted any construction of EPIC City,” and that “There is no construction taking place. The state of Texas has launched about a half dozen investigations into this project. That includes criminal investigations.” Abbott also noted that “And, the US Department of justice is also investigating,” and that “This matter, and similar matters, are taken very seriously, and actions are being taken to address all concerns.”
Last month, Senator Cornyn sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, urging the DOJ to investigate EPIC for its plans to create a “community of thousands of Muslims” called EPIC Ranches City.
Cornyn described the project as a “thriving ecosystem” that would include thousands of homes, a mosque, a private Islamic school, commercial developments, a community college and sports facilities. He suggested that EPIC might be trying to establish an “exclusive religious settlement” governed by Islamic principles, which could potentially violate federal laws against religious discrimination.
Cornyn further stated that “Appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that this community does not run afoul of these obligations,” emphasizing concern over whether the project adheres to laws prohibiting the enforcement of Sharia law.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which labeled Cornyn’s request “baseless and bigoted,” urged the department last month to reject the investigation. Instead, CAIR called for an inquiry into Texas officials for allegedly violating Muslims’ constitutional rights through “zoning harassment, discriminatory enforcement, and politically motivated intimidation.”
Mustafaa Carroll, CAIR-TX DFW Executive Director, defended the EPIC project as “a transparent, inclusive initiative to provide affordable housing and community services to families of all backgrounds,” and accused Cornyn of enabling Abbott and Paxton to “abuse the regulatory process to intimidate and suppress our community’s religious rights.”
