HOUSTON – A group of 13 Texas voters is suing the state over newly proposed congressional maps, claiming the redrawn districts unlawfully dilute the political power of Black and Latino voters and violate both the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act.
The lawsuit, filed in August 2025 and led by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), targets House Bill 4 (HB 4), the mid-decade redistricting plan passed last week. The plaintiffs, known as the Gonzales Plaintiffs, argue the new map was intentionally designed to suppress minority voting strength through race-based gerrymandering tactics like cracking, packing, and malapportionment.
“This looks like what they’ve done in the past but on steroids,” said Gabriel Rosales of Texas LULAC. “With the new maps, it seems to have eliminated any kind of diversity whatsoever.”
Rosales says the map reduces the number of congressional districts where Black and Latino voters can realistically elect candidates of their choice.
“We’re a minority-majority state, but the majority of people — Black and brown Texans — still don’t have meaningful representation in Congress,” Rosales said.
One of the plaintiffs, Gwen Collins, lives in Fort Bend County. Under the new map, her district, currently represented by Rep. Troy Nehls, would expand deeper into Brazoria County. She believes that change will make it even harder for her community to get the attention and representation it deserves.
“If one can’t do what they need to do in a general area, how can they spread themselves out?” Collins asked. “How can they be what they need to be for Brazoria County and Fort Bend County?”
Collins says she rarely sees or hears from Nehls and worries the expansion would only dilute her community’s voice further.
“He’s not doing anything for me. He’s not speaking for me,” she said.
When shown the differences between the current and proposed maps, Collins responded: “Less representation. If Nehls is not helping us here, he’s only helping certain areas.”
The August filing isn’t a standalone lawsuit; it’s an amendment to LULAC’s existing lawsuit challenging the 2021 congressional maps. Attorneys argue that HB 4 builds upon the same discriminatory practices already under legal scrutiny.
“There’s no justification for these proposed maps,” said the complaint. “The Texas Legislature’s voluntary choice to make unnecessary mid-decade changes eliminates any inevitability justification for the use of racial data or partisan advantage.”
The amended complaint specifically alleges that the new map:
- Breaks up and reshapes districts where Black and Latino voters had a real opportunity to elect preferred candidates.
- Increases the number of white-majority districts.
- Fails to create additional opportunity districts even as the state’s population continues to diversify.
State Rep. Todd Hunter (R - Corpus Christi) authored the bill. He said the goal of HB 4 is to help Republicans secure more seats in Congress.
“This map is based on partisanship,” said Hunter. “Political performance and for all of you here, it is enhanced and increased, Republican partisanship, enhanced performance.”
Despite promises that some districts would become majority Hispanic, critics say those districts were strategically drawn to look fair without genuinely increasing minority political influence.
“They know exactly what this is about. It’s about race and power,” said Rosales.
Collins says she hopes the court tosses out the newly passed maps and allows the current districts to remain in place until fairer alternatives are drawn.
“At that point, we can get the representation that we need and vote in people that will actually help us,” she said.
KPRC 2 reached out to Congressman Nehls’ office for comment, but has not yet received a response.