Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division Ends Investigation of Planned Muslim City in Texas
The head of the civil rights division, Harmeet Dhillon, says the developers ‘affirmed that all will be welcome’ in the planned community.
The Department of Justice is ending its civil rights investigation into a proposed Muslim-focused city in northern Texas, finding that it would not discriminate against people of other faiths.
The planned community, known as EPIC City, as proposed, would be a 402-acre development about 40 miles northeast of Dallas. It would feature 1,000 single- and multi-family homes, senior housing, a K-12 faith-based school, sports facilities, commercial developments, and a mosque. It became the subject of multiple state investigations and a DOJ probe after Republican lawmakers raised concerns it would discriminate against Christians and Jews.
The DOJ’s civil rights division launched an investigation into the proposed community in May.
In a letter sent earlier this month to EPIC City’s corporate entity, Community Capital Partners, the head of the civil rights division, Harmeet Dhillon, said the group “has affirmed that all will be welcome in any future development, and that you plan to revise and develop marketing materials to reinforce that message consistent with your obligations under the Fair Housing Act.”
“Based on this information, the Department is closing its investigation at this time,” Ms. Dhillon said.
An attorney for Community Capital Partners, Dan Cogdell, told KERA news, “Community Capital Partners is committed to building an inclusive community that follows the guidelines of the Fair Housing Act and we are glad the DOJ found that to be true in their investigation.”
While the DOJ’s investigation is over, the planned community still faces legal scrutiny. Five state investigations are ongoing.
Governor Abbott said he halted any construction of the planned community and accused the developers of misleading investors who helped purchase the land. In March, he said the state is investigating to “ensure Texans are protected from financial harm that is alleged to have been caused by EPIC.” However, he did not provide specifics about how the investors may have been harmed.
Mr. Abbott has also said that the community leaders would seek to impose Sharia law, something Mr. Cogdell has called an “absolute lie.”
