A panel of three federal judges has begun hearings in El Paso to determine whether Texas can use the newly redrawn congressional map, which favors Republicans. The hearings have ignited a high-stakes redistricting battle ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The map, redrawn this summer at the urging of President Donald Trump (R), is designed to add five Republican seats and help preserve the party's slim majority in the U.S. House.
The case is being heard by judges appointed by Trump, Barack Obama, and Ronald Reagan.
Civil rights groups and dozens of Black and Hispanic voters have challenged the map, arguing it dilutes minority voting strength in violation of the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office defended the map, claiming it corrects past Democratic gerrymanders and is a lawful partisan redraw.
"Whenever they do not get what they want, they cry racism," the state's filing argues.
Attorneys for the challengers, including the League of United Latin American Citizens, argue the map dismantled five of nine "coalition" districts where minority voters could previously combine their influence to elect canidates of choice.
"States have to follow rules when they redistrict," said Nina Perales, counsel for several plaintiffs. "They provide essentially the buffer guards to protect the democratic process."
Republican lawmakers argue that the map reflects partisan, not racial, gerrymandering.
The hearing is expected to last more than a week, though it is not yet clear when a ruling will come.
