The UCLA Voting Rights Project (VRP), directed by Dr. Matt A. Barreto and Chad W. Dunn, JD, in the Luskin School of Public Affairs, argued in favor of Hispanic and Black voters in League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) et al. v. Abbott.

VPR’s legal director, Dunn, and senior staff attorney, Sonni Waknin, represented Hispanic and Black voters across Texas, alleging that the congressional map was intentionally discriminatory and drawn to dismantle existing Hispanic opportunity districts in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Central Texas, and the Gulf Coast area, and Black voters in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas.

VRP alleges that the 2025 map attempts to dismantle four majority-minority districts that elect Hispanic and Black members of Congress, and that it was unconstitutional. VRP’s faculty director, Dr. Barreto, testified as an expert witness on behalf of the Brooks and MALC plaintiffs and individual voters, teaming up with VRP senior data scientist Michael Rios to author two expert reports and a rebuttal report submitted as evidence to the Court.

A decision in favor of LULAC et al would mark a victory for voting rights advocates who argue the map was drawn “focusing on race,” fragmenting and concentrating underrepresented communities to weaken their political influence and that the Texan legislature acted with intentional discrimination against Black and Hispanic voters.  

A ruling is expected in November. More to come.