MALDEF

MALDEF STATEMENT ON U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION TO HEAR CASE ON TEXAS HOUSE REDISTRICTING PLAN


January 12, 2018


(San Antonio, TX) - The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that it will hear a case over whether Texas’ congressional and State House district boundaries discriminate against Latinos and other voters of color.

MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) represents the Texas Latino Redistricting Task Force and individual voters in this case.

Please attribute the following statement to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF:

“This longstanding case needs to reach closure, not just to secure appropriate permanent remedies for egregious violations of the Voting Rights Act, but to provide guidance for the next round of redistricting in 2021 when Latinos will once more account for increased congressional representation in Texas and other states. We hope the Court will act swiftly to vindicate the civil rights claims of Latinos and other voters of color in our second most populous state.”

Please attribute the following statement on today’s ruling to Nina Perales, vice president of litigation for MALDEF and lead counsel for the Texas Latino Redistricting Task Force in the case:

“Today’s order was a mixed result. Although we would have preferred the Supreme Court to let the cases proceed below to a remedy, we are heartened by the decision of the Supreme Court to leave open the question of its jurisdiction.”



Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation's leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the "Latino Legal Voice for Civil Rights in America" MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: www.maldef.org.

Copyright 2009 MALDEF — Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund