Muslim, Jewish and Christian community leaders in North Texas condemned recent backlash against and ongoing investigations into a planned Muslim community development in the region.
The interfaith leaders held a news conference Tuesday to address the East Plano Islamic Center's project EPIC City and other North Texas mosques facing "ongoing attacks." Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of the Dallas-Fort Worth Office of the Council of American Islamic Relations, said Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have disseminated "hateful misinformation" about Muslims and Islam.
"They pose a serious physical threat to the lives and safety of Muslim children, families, and communities in schools, homes, and spaces throughout North Texas and statewide," Carroll told reporters.
In a statement, the governor's office criticized CAIR and accused the group of being linked to terrorism.
"CAIR is an antisemitic hate group whose leaders openly praised Hamas ruthlessly killing innocent Israelis during the October 7 massacre," the statement read.
There's been little direct evidence of a link between CAIR and Hamas, although the U.S. Government has argued in court such a link exists. The group denies those claims.
CAIR came under fire after the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel when the group's director said he was "happy to see" Palestinians break out of Gaza.
The Oct. 7 attack left 1,200 Israelis dead and more either injured or captured. Israel has killed about 50,000 Palestinians in the ensuing war.
EPIC City is a proposed 402-acre development the mosque wants to build in unincorporated Collin and Hunt counties roughly 40 miles northeast of Dallas near the city of Josephine. It would include a new mosque, more than 1,000 single- and multi-family homes, a K-12 faith-based school, senior housing, an outreach center, commercial developments, sports facilities, and a community college.
Abbott has announced five probes into the project in recent weeks, alleging without evidence the project could be discriminating against non-Muslims in violation of the Texas Fair Housing Act, along with alleging potential financial harm to investors, potential violations of Texas consumer protection laws, and operating illegal funeral services.
EPIC City first sparked online backlash in February after Abbott reposted a video on X from a conservative activist who runs the Rise Align Ignite Reclaim Foundation USA, or RAIR.
The RAIR Foundation has attacked other mosques with similar projects in North Texas. That includes the Islamic Center of Aubrey and its plan for a mixed-use development on the outskirts of town, as well as two proposed Muslim developments in Blue Ridge that have faced their own local opposition.
Deborah Armintor, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace Dallas-Fort Worth, said it's important for other religious groups to show support for the Muslim community during these kinds of situations.
"To my Jewish siblings, don't be afraid to stand up when you see your Muslim neighbors, coworkers, children's classmates under attack," Armintor said. "We need people to publicly speak out, not only against the hate, but also to speak out in love and in solidarity."
Carroll said Abbott and Paxton have abused their power by launching groundless investigations into the East Plano Islamic Center and its project and violating their rights to religious expression.
"We're talking about elected officials who people trust everything that they say, no matter what it is," Carroll said. "Whenever you have an elected official, especially the governor, the strongest official in the state, making a statement, calling on his other entities to investigate, it throws a cloud over the community."
It's not clear what laws EPIC could be breaking. Abbott has repeatedly accused the mosque, without evidence, of promoting "no-go zones" and Sharia law.
Robert Smith, a minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, said these investigations unfairly single out the Muslim community.
"Why should our neighbors be put at risk? Why should children suffer?" Smith said. "Leaders must act with greater care and concern for all of us, we the people. Instead of stoking fear and division, true leaders create bridges toward a common future."
Penelope Rivera is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Penelope at privera@kera.org.
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