CORNYN: DOJ Launching Probe into Planned EPIC Muslim Community in Texas

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) launched a federal civil rights investigation into a planned Muslim community north of Dallas, Texas. The area, home to one of the Lone Star State’s largest mosques, has been the subject of several investigations at the state level initiated by Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) previously sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon requesting that the Department of Justice open an investigation into the East Plano Islamic Center’s (EPIC) planned Muslim-centered community in mid-April.

The development, formally known as the EPIC Ranches City, in Josephine, Texas, is under state investigation by the Texas Rangers at the request of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The Governor alleged that the planned community may present the threat of religious discrimination against Christians, Jews, and other non-Muslim minorities.

On Friday, Senator Cornyn announced that the DOJ agreed to initiate a civil rights investigation into the planned Muslim-centered community in a social media post on X after notification from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. In the post, Cornyn said, “Religious discrimination and Sharia Law have no home in Texas. Any violations of federal law must be swiftly prosecuted, and I know under @POTUS’ administration they will be.”

According to plans submitted by the developers, ownership of property within the 400-acre Muslim-centered community is strictly limited to investors and shareholders who meet the prerequisites listed on the EPIC community website. According to the developer’s website, to purchase a lot within the planned development, you must first invest in a share that will guarantee you one lot in EPIC City.

If a prospective resident purchases one share from Community Capital Partners (CCP), an entity created to manage the planned Muslim-centered community, they will be guaranteed one lot in EPIC City with a 15% discount on the lot price. The website states that a more significant discount will be applied if additional shares are purchased. Shares are listed on the website at $80,000. According to the developers, the community will include 1,000 single-family residences, a Muslim faith-based school, a mosque, and a community college.

Texas Governor Abbott has publicly expressed his opposition to the planned community on numerous occasions, including in a March post on X, where he said, “We are uncovering legal violations by EPIC City that go far beyond what people realize. The proposed community will never see the light of day.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, office of CAIR (CAIR TX, DFW), had opposed the request for investigation into the EPIC Muslim-centered community refuting the allegations that the community would violate the civil rights of non-Muslims.

In a letter written to Attorney General Bondi in response to the request for the DOJ investigation, CAIR criticized the request to investigate saying “we write to strongly oppose and refute U.S. Senator John Cornyn’s April 11 letter requesting a federal investigation into the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) and its proposed EPIC Ranches City development in Josephine, Texas. Simply put, Senator Cornyn’s request to the Department of Justice is an unconstitutional attempt to stigmatize and suppress Muslim religious community life and expression.”

Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol.  Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.