Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is making it clear that “Sharia cities” have no place in the state, responding to growing concerns over the planned “EPIC City” development in Josephine, Texas.
The controversy erupted after reports surfaced that the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) is developing a 402-acre planned community centered around a mosque and Islamic school. While developers describe the project as a housing community designed to meet the needs of local Muslims, critics argue that it could function as an exclusionary enclave.
Amy Mek, a commentator with the RAIR Foundation, raised alarms about the project in a viral post on X, describing it as a “walled-off Islamic community built around Sharia, not American values.” She also alleged that the federal government was indirectly subsidizing the project through tax deductions, as homebuyers would be contributing to the construction of religious facilities.
In response to the growing concern, Abbott posted on X that Sharia law and cities are not allowed in Texas, nor are “no go zones.”
To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas.
Nor are Sharia cities.
Nor are “no go zones“ which this project seems to imply.
Bottom line. The project as proposed in the video is not allowed in Texas. https://t.co/5Sw5VdXD31
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) February 24, 2025
Abbott’s statement reinforces existing state law that already prohibits the application of foreign legal codes, including Sharia law, in Texas courts.
In 2017, Abbott signed House Bill 45, which explicitly bans Texas judges from enforcing foreign law—such as Sharia—in family law cases.
