Texas Governor Greg Abbott has instructed the developers behind EPIC City, a proposed new Islamic-themed town near Josephine that includes parts of Collin and Hunt Counties, to confirm “within seven days that they are immediately ceasing any construction of their illegal project.”
Newsweek contacted the East Plano Islamic Center, which is behind the scheme, and Abbott for comment on Thursday outside of regular office hours via online inquiry form and email, respectively.
Why It Matters
The East Plano Islamic Center, via its affiliate Community Capitol Partners, wants to create a new 1,000-home settlement around 40 minutes from Dallas, complete with a mosque, faith-based school, community college and sporting facilities.
The proposal has sparked controversy with accusations the center wants to impose Sharia, or Islamic, law. However, the center’s plans do not say anything about this. In a statement, Community Capital Partners said they want to build a community “in which people of every background, faith, and culture can live together in harmony.”
What To Know
Speaking on Tuesday, Abbott said: “The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found that the group behind the proposed EPIC compound did not submit the required permits to begin construction.
“They must confirm within seven days that they are immediately ceasing any construction of their illegal project or face the full weight of the law. The state of Texas will enforce its laws and protect our communities from unlawful actions or threats posed by EPIC or its affiliates.”
However, according to Fox 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, the previous evening a planning firm involved with the project attended a Collin County commissioners meeting where they insisted no development has taken place, and that plans to purchase and build on the land are in their preliminary stages.
According to the official EPIC City website, the project’s organizers are still trying to raise funds to purchase the land by selling lots, and are promising to “return your money in full if we are not able to secure the land.”
On Monday, Abbott’s office said in a statement that he had “directed the Texas Rangers to open an investigation” into the East Plano Islamic Center and affiliated entities “for potential criminal activities.”
This comes on top of investigations that Abbott said are being conducted by “a dozen state agencies,” including the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas State Securities Board, the Texas Funeral Service Commission and the office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The following day, Abbott shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, by conservative activist Riley Gaines which said, “Sharia law has no place in Western civilization,” adding: “And Sharia law is outlawed in Texas under a law I signed in 2017. Texas is investigating EPIC City for many allegations, including attempts to circumvent that law. All entities in Texas must follow state law, not Sharia law.”
The EPIC City organizers have consistently insisted their project will adhere to state and federal law and have not suggested it should be overseen by Sharia, Islamic law based on the teachings of the Quran.
During his first term in office, President Donald Trump banned people from a number of Muslim majority countries from visiting the United States. In March, The New York Times published what it claimed was a draft memo from the Trump administration proposing a fresh entry ban on the citizens of 11 countries, of which seven are Muslim majority.
What People Are Saying
East Plano Islamic Center resident scholar Yasir Qadhi: “EPIC City is going to be a role model community of thousands of Muslims living well-integrated.
“We are not forming a cult. We’re not forming big barriers between the rest of society. We’re going to be giving back to this state and this country, and we’re going to be showing what it means to be a Muslim neighborhood.”
In his statement on Monday, Governor Greg Abbott said: “Texas is a law-and-order state, and those scheming to evade law enforcement scrutiny must know justice is awaiting them.
“That is why I directed the Texas Rangers to fully investigate the group behind the proposed EPIC compound for potentially violating criminal law. Texas will ensure that anyone affiliated with EPIC who is breaking the law is brought to justice.”
What Happens Next
The state of Texas has not provided any proof that construction has begun at the EPIC City site, meaning there is nothing to actually shut down.
The EPIC City organizers are likely to run into significant difficulties now their project is being strongly opposed by Abbott, and due to the multiple state-level investigations they are facing.
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