Texas Governor Orders Mosque to Stop Funeral Services
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that the East Plano Islamic Center, a large Dallas-area mosque affiliated with a Muslim-centric neighborhood being developed in North Texas, must cease and desist all funeral service operations.
Abbott said in a news release that the mosque is operating a funeral home without an establishment license in violation of a Texas law that lays out the requirements for licensed funeral services.
“The group behind the proposed East Plano Islamic Center compound in Collin County is knowingly breaking state law in many ways, including by operating a funeral home without a license,” Abbott said. “This is a crime, and it will not be tolerated.”
Background on the Issue
The East Plano Islamic Center is a mosque that has been at the center of controversy in recent months. The mosque is affiliated with a planned development called EPIC City, which will feature over 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, elderly and assisted living, apartments, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports fields.
The development has been met with resistance from some community members, who have expressed concerns about the potential impact on the area.
Investigation and Response
The Texas Funeral Service Commission has launched an investigation into the mosque’s funeral services, and has made a criminal referral to the Collin County District Attorney.
“The East Plano Islamic Center is not licensed with the Texas Funeral Service Commission,” according to Sarah Sanders, the commission’s staff attorney. “The establishment is unlawfully functioning as a funeral establishment without the requisite licensing in violation of Tex. Occ. Code § 651.351.
The investigation into further violations is ongoing.
EPIC City Development
EPIC City is a planned development of more than 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, elderly and assisted living, apartments, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports fields just outside the town of Josephine, about 40 minutes northeast of downtown Dallas.
“EPIC City is going to be a role model community of thousands of Muslims living well-integrated,” Yasir Qadhi, resident scholar at the East Plano Islamic Center, said while giving an update on the projects at EPIC in February.
“We are not forming a cult. We’re not forming big barriers between the rest of society,” he said. “We’re going to be giving back to this state and this country, and we’re going to be showing what it means to be a Muslim neighborhood.”
State Response
In February, Abbott posted about the development projects on X: “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.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said his office is investigating whether the development project violates Texas consumer protection laws, according to a March 25 news release. Paxton is seeking information relevant to that investigation.
“Under my watch, there will be zero tolerance for any person or entity that breaks Texas law,” Paxton said in the release.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding the East Plano Islamic Center and EPIC City development continues to unfold. The mosque’s funeral services have been ordered to cease and desist, and an investigation into the development project is ongoing.
As the situation develops, it is clear that the state of Texas will continue to monitor the situation closely and take action as necessary to ensure that all laws and regulations are being followed.
FAQs
Q: What is the East Plano Islamic Center?
A: The East Plano Islamic Center is a mosque located in the Dallas area that is affiliated with a planned development called EPIC City.
Q: What is EPIC City?
A: EPIC City is a planned development that will feature over 1,000 homes, a K-12 faith-based school, a mosque, elderly and assisted living, apartments, clinics, retail shops, a community college, and sports fields.
Q: Why has the Texas Governor ordered the mosque to stop funeral services?
A: The Texas Governor has ordered the mosque to stop funeral services because it is operating a funeral home without an establishment license, which is a violation of Texas law.
Q: Is the development project still moving forward?
A: The development project is still ongoing, but it is being closely monitored by the state of Texas to ensure that all laws and regulations are being followed.
