Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) on Sunday said he halted all construction of EPIC City, an Islamic community planned for north Texas, due to the many investigations into the development.
“Texas has halted any construction of EPIC City,” he said. “There is no construction taking place.”
The East Plano Islamic Center is the organization behind the development of EPIC City, which would be near Josephine, a town roughly 40 miles northeast of Dallas. The city would include a new mosque, more than 1,000 single- and multifamily homes, a K-12 Islamist faith-based school, senior housing, an outreach center, commercial developments, sports facilities, and a community college. EPIC City’s project developer, investment firm Community Capital Partners, is responsible for constructing the Muslim community.
On Sunday, Abbott cited multiple investigations, including one from the Justice Department, as reasons to pause construction. He previously paused construction on April 1.
“The state of Texas has launched about a half dozen investigations into this project,” Abbott said in a post to X. “That includes criminal investigations. And, the US Department of Justice is also investigating. This matter, and similar matters, are taken very seriously, and actions are being taken to address all concerns.”
Many people are concerned that EPIC City’s development would block non-Muslim residents from living in the city and that it could promote Sharia law. The Islamist legal system imposes harsh penalties on those who do not follow Muslim teachings, including killing gay people and fining or arresting women who choose not to wear a hijab or wear it loosely.
Earlier this month, one of the state’s Republican senators revealed the DOJ opened an investigation into the city at his request.
Attorney General Pam Bondi complied with Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-TX) request for an investigation into potential “religious discrimination” posed by the Islamic city. He said the city could violate the 1968 Fair Housing Act, which prevents discriminatory sales or rentals of real estate based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, or national origin. EPIC city would be in violation of constitutional rights if it prevented Jewish and Christian residents from living there.
“Religious-based discrimination is a constitutional violation as well as a federal rights investigation,” Cornyn said. “Appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that this community does not run afoul of these obligations.”
“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 in North Texas,” he continued. “Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no place in the Lone Star State. Any violations of federal law must be swiftly prosecuted, and I know under the Trump administration, they will be.”
However, the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Cornyn’s request was based on groundless fears.
“Sen. Cornyn’s request is not only factually baseless. It weaponizes tired Islamophobic tropes to portray a peaceful, inclusive development project as suspicious simply because it is Muslim-led,” said Robert McCaw, Government Affairs Department director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
The group called on the DOJ to reject the senator’s request.
“Rather than targeting Muslim charities working to build family-centered communities, the Department of Justice should investigate Texas officials who appear to be violating the Constitution by singling out Muslims for political gain,” McCaw added.
In late March, Abbott opened a criminal investigation into the city. However, details on the investigation are scant. The same month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened a Civil Investigation Demand regarding EPIC City and Community Capital Partners over concerns that local officials unlawfully coordinated the city’s development.
“If any local official is supporting or communicating with a real estate development that is under investigation for potential violations of state law, then it’s imperative that we are made aware of exactly what’s being communicated,” Paxton said. “We will thoroughly review these documents as part of our ongoing investigation into EPIC City and work to hold accountable anyone who breaks Texas law.”
As of March 24, Abbott said the Islamic center was under scrutiny by a dozen state agencies, including an investigation by the Texas Workforce Commission regarding whether EPIC City would break “state fair housing laws by refusing to sell or rent housing to certain groups based on religion or other protected traits.”
Other investigations involve claims that the Muslim community would operate funeral homes illegally without a license.
In late March, Abbott revealed that the Texas Funeral Service Commission sent the East Plano Islamic Center a cease-and-desist letter, ordering it to stop operating “illegal” funeral services.
“Here in Texas, we uphold the rule of law,” he said in a statement. “The group behind the proposed East Plano Islamic Center compound in Collin County is knowingly breaking state law in many ways, including by operating a funeral home without a license. This is a crime, and it will not be tolerated. Texas will continue to defend our communities from any threats posed by EPIC City.”
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The director of CAIR’s Dallas-Fort Worth Office accused Abbott and Paxton of Islamophobia.
“They have chosen to abuse their power by launching groundless investigations against EPIC, blocking funerals, intimidating children and families, and violating their rights to constitutionally protected religious expression,” Mustafaa Carroll, the office’s executive director, told Fox News last month.