"The complaint we filed today alleges that Texas has violated Section 2 [of the Voting Rights Act] by creating redistricting plans that deny or abridge the rights of Latino and Black voters to vote on account of their race, color, or membership in a language minority group," Garland said in remarks about the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that Texas designed two new congressional districts to have white majorities despite the state’s growing Latino electorate, which is set to soon become the largest population group in Texas, according to court filings. The state legislature also eliminated a Latino electoral opportunity in West Texas and excised minority communities in Dallas-Fort Worth to rural, white counties, the court filings added.
The state allegedly "diluted the voting strength of minority Texans" and refuses to comply with the Voting Rights Act, absent intervention of the Attorney General or federal courts, the lawsuit said. The complaint specifies violations of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits voting laws that deny the right to vote on account or race, color or other minority status.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton later issued a statement regarding the lawsuit.