US prosecuted in Texas, says Reuters discrimination dilutes black and Hispanic votes Reuters

By Sarah N. Lynch and Doina Chiacu

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in Texas on Monday alleging that the state violated the Voting Rights Act by creating sub-district plans that deliberately discriminate against black and minority voters by diluting their votes, Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

“The complaint we filed today states that Texas has violated the second section by creating plans to change constituencies that deny Latino and Black voters the right to vote or restrict them,” Garland told reporters. a press conference.

In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, the Justice Department said the 2020 Census showed that Latinos are on track to become the largest population group in the state, with fewer than 40 non-white Latino voters. percentage of the state’s population.

“Shortly after the release of the 2020 census data, the Texas Legislature established plans to redevelop the Texas House of Representatives and the Texas House.

a very fast and opaque legislative process, “he said.

“The Department of Justice’s absurd lawsuit against our state is the latest ploy by the Biden Administration to control Texas voters,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said on Twitter (NYSE :).

“I am convinced that the redistricting decisions of our legislature will prove to be legitimate, and that this senseless attempt to change democracy will fail.”

“These plans to redirect the interior will reduce the chances of Latino and black voters in Texas electing their representatives,” Attorney General Vanita Gupta said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. “And that’s prohibited by federal law.”

It’s Monday that this year the Department of Justice sued Texas for voting rights.

The Justice Department sued Texas in early November https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-doj-files-lawsuit-against-texas-over-voting-curbs-law-2021-11-04 Mail a law that restricts fair voting because it properly restricts voters who are unable to receive adequate support in the polls or who do not read or write.

Texas law, which is at the heart of the first lawsuit, makes it more difficult to vote by mail, preventing officials from submitting unsolicited voting requests. It also adds new identification requirements for postal voting, bans 24-hour car and 24-hour voting locations, restricts early voting, and restricts who can help voters who need help due to disability or language barriers.

Texas is the second state to be sued by the Justice Department in recent months for restrictive voting rules.

Earlier this year, Garland reported that the department was filing a lawsuit against the Georgian state https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-sue-georgia-over-restrictive-new-state-voting-law-source -2021- 06-25 The Department of Justice said it violates the rights of black voters after a new election law was enacted.