The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Texas, accusing the state of gerrymandering in the way it has redrawn Congressional districts. Texas led the nation in population growth the past ten years, gaining an additional two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The lawsuit, filed in the Western District of Texas, claims the state violates part of the Voting Rights Act, according to the AP.
The U.S. Census says Texas added about four million additional residents from 2010 to 2020. Texas grew by 16% and added more people total than any other state.
Of that growth, the Census says 95% are people of color, with Hispanics accounting for 50% of the growth. The Justice Department, though, says both new Congressional seats would have white majorities.
"The department's career voting law experts have assessed Texas' new redistricting plans and concluded they include districts that violate the Voting Rights Act," says U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Garland says the districts are drawn to reduce the influence of racial groups, not give one political party an advantage.
Texas had been required to have its Congressional maps approved by the U.S. Justice Department since the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The most recent U.S. Census survey was the first after that requirement was lifted. In September, Garland says he issued guidelines for redrawing Congressional boundaries.
"When we issued that guidance, I noted discriminatory redistricting schemes are illegal and that the department would assess jurisdictions' compliance with those laws during this redistricting cycle," Garland says.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta noted that this is the third time in 30 years that Texas has tried to redraw lines to reduce the chance of minorities being elected to office.
"This is not the first time that Texas has acted to minimize the voting rights of its minority citizens," Gupta said during a press conference. "Decade after decade, courts have found that Texas has enacted redistricting plans that deliberately dilute the voting strength of Latino and Black voters and that violate the Voting Rights Act."
The lawsuit asks a judge to block the proposed maps and set up an interim plan.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has responded, tweeting, "I’m certain Texas will prevail!"
"The Department of Justice's absurd lawsuit against our state is the Biden Administration's latest ploy to control Texas voters. I am confident that our legislature's redistricting decisions will be proven lawful, and this preposterous attempt to sway democracy will fail," his office wrote.
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