EL PASO, Texas (KXXV) — The League of the United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) are holding a joint press conference Friday in opposition of Texas' newly redrawn congressional map.
Watch here:
A three-judge federal court in El Paso is considering a case on the state's new congressional map, that was enacted this summer. The question posed before the court is whether Texas can use this map in the 2026 midterms?
"The map aims to deliver five additional GOP-held House seats but LULAC and MALDEF believe it was drawn to dilute voting power in Black, Latino, and coalition districts, eliminating five so-called coalition districts in which minority groups together could form effective majorities," the two organizations said.
The groups add that plaintiffs in the court hearing, "highlight inflammatory public statements, notably by Gov. Abbott, and a DOJ letter urging the elimination of coalition districts as key evidence that racial motivations played a decisive role. The outcome in El Paso could reshape not only Texas politics but control of the U.S. House in 2026."
The press conference starts at 1:15 p.m. local time.
