Justice Department closes investigation into Muslim-centered community near Dallas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice has closed a federal civil rights investigation into a Muslim-centered planned community around one of the state's largest mosques near Dallas without filing any charges or lawsuits.
The Justice Department had opened the investigation after U.S. Sen. John Cornyn called for it, arguing that the development could discriminate against Christian and Jews.
The developers of the proposed EPIC City community tied to the East Plano Islamic Center, have complained they are being bullied by multiple federal and state investigations because they are Muslim.
A June 13 Justice Department letter to Community Capital Partners, the group developing the project, noted the department is closing the investigation.
'CCP has affirmed that all will be welcome in any future development,' the letter said. The group wrote that they plan to revise and develop marketing materials to reinforce that message.
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment further. The letter was first reported Wednesday by the Dallas Morning News.
Community Capital Partners had said the development would adhere to the Fair Housing Act and any other state and federal guidelines, and that the community would be open to members of all religions.
The federal investigation had escalated pressure on the proposed EPIC City, which has faced steady criticism and multiple investigations. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and other GOP state officials have claimed the group is trying to create a community that excludes non-Muslims and would impose Islamic law on residents.
The developers have said they are not seeking to impose religion on anyone, and that the community would follow state and federal law.
Among its chief critics has been the state's hard-right Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn for his Senate seat in 2026.
Dan Cogdell, an attorney for EPIC City who defended Paxton in his 2023 impeachment trial when he was acquitted by the state Senate, noted how quickly federal officials had wrapped up their probe.
None of the investigations would be happening if the community was planned around a Christian church or Jewish temple, Cogdell said.
'The false accusations that have been swirling around the development were based solely on misinformation, lies and false rumors,' Cogdell said. 'Frankly, the politicians that have repeated them without ever bothering to look at any fact should be embarrassed.'
The state investigations include whether the development is violating financial and fair housing laws and whether funeral practices at the mosque were done legally. The status of those investigations remained unclear Wednesday. Cogdell said the developers will cooperate with anyone who asks.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has criticized the federal and state probes as bullying the Muslim community and a violation of constitutionally protected religious expression.
'We welcome the dropping of this investigation and hope the DOJ's actions send a clear message to the governor and other officials in Texas that they should similarly drop their Islamophobic witch hunt targeting Muslims in that state,' said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad.
Plans for the mixed-used development include more than 1,000 homes and apartments, a faith-based school for kindergarten through 12th grade, a community college, assisted living for older residents and athletics fields.
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'There has been a massive rupture within the Jewish community and more and more Jews of all generations, but especially younger generations,' she said, now refuse to be tied to what they see as a rogue government committing atrocities against civilians. Polls show support for Israel has declined since the war began. Overall, a slight majority of Americans now express a 'somewhat' or 'very' unfavorable opinion of Israel, according to a March Pew Research Center poll , compared with 42% in 2022. Democrats' views are particularly negative, with nearly 70% holding an unfavorable opinion versus less than 40% of Republicans. Beyond the mayoral race Mamdani's wasn't the only race where Israel was on voters' minds. In Brooklyn, City Councilwoman Shahana Hanif, who represents Park Slope and surrounding areas, drew criticism for her Palestinian advocacy. Some said she had failed to respond forcefully to antisemitic incidents in the district. Yet Hanif, the first Muslim woman elected to the City Council, easily beat her top challenger, Maya Kornberg, who is Jewish, despite an influx of money from wealthy, pro-Israel groups and donors. That outcome dismayed Ramon Maislen, a developer who launched Brooklyn BridgeBuilders to oppose Hanif's reelection and said antisemitism did not seem to resonate with voters. 'We were very disappointed with our neighbors' response,' he said. While campaigning against Hanif, he said he was routinely screamed at by residents and accused of supporting genocide. 'I think that those of us in the Jewish community that are attuned to that are cognizant that there's been some kind of cultural sea change that's occurring,' he said. 'What we're seeing is a legitimatization of hatred that isn't happening in any other liberal or progressive space.' Mamdani's record and rhetoric Mamdani has repeatedly pledged to fight antisemitism, including during an appearance on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,' where he was grilled on his stance. He was joined on the show by city comptroller and fellow candidate Brad Lander, the city's highest-ranking Jewish official, who had cross-endorsed him. He has also said he would increase funding for anti-hate crime programming by 800%. But many of his comments have angered Jewish groups and officials, most notably his refusal to disavow the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' which has been used as a slogan in recent protests. Many Jews see it as a call to violence against Israeli civilians. In a podcast interview , Mamdani said the phrase captured a 'a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights.' Mamdani also supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to pressure governments, schools and other institutions to boycott Israeli products, divest from companies that support the country, and impose sanctions. The Anti-Defamation League calls it antisemitic and part of a broader campaign to 'delegitimize and isolate the State of Israel.' Mamdani has also said that, as mayor, he would arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli leader tried to enter the city. The ADL in a statement Thursday warned candidates and their supporters not to use 'language playing into dangerous antisemitic canards that time and time again have been used to incite hatred and violence against Jews.' In his victory speech , Mamdani alluded to the criticism he'd received and said he would not abandon his beliefs. But he also said he would 'reach further to understand the perspectives of those with whom I disagree and to wrestle deeply with those disagreements.' ___ Associated Press writer Jake Offenhartz contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
