Paxton Wins on Texas Workforce Commission and EPIC City Battle
May 4, 2026 – AUSTIN, Texas — Ken Paxton announced that a temporary injunction involving the proposed EPIC City development has been suspended following an appeal to the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, allowing state officials to pause compliance with a lower court order while the case proceeds.
EPIC City, now known as The Meadow, is a planned 402-acre master-planned community near Josephine, Texas, is spearheaded by members of the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC). Currently stalled by a series of legal and political battles, the project proposes to feature more than 1,000 homes, a mosque, a K-12 school, a community college, retail space, and elderly care facilities.
The dispute centers on a lawsuit filed by developers of the EPIC City project, which sought to compel the Texas Workforce Commission to approve certain fair housing documents tied to the development. A lower court had issued a temporary injunction requiring the agency to move forward with approvals, despite what state officials describe as ongoing legal and regulatory concerns.
Paxton’s office argued that complying with the order would have forced the TWC to act outside its legal authority, particularly given a reported federal investigation connected to the project. By appealing the decision, the attorney general secured a stay of the injunction, effectively halting the requirement while the appellate court reviews the case.
“Following my appeal of the flawed ruling … I am glad to see that the developers will not receive such services as this lawsuit is proceeding,” Paxton said in a statement, adding that his office will continue to challenge what he described as efforts to bypass legal requirements.
The EPIC City development has drawn heightened attention in recent months, both for its scale and for questions raised by state officials about regulatory compliance. While details of the federal inquiry have not been fully disclosed, it has become a central factor in the state’s legal position.
Temporary injunctions are often used in civil cases to preserve the status quo until courts can fully evaluate the merits of a dispute. In this instance, the appeals court’s decision to suspend the injunction means the TWC is not required to take action on the housing documents until further rulings are issued.
The case now moves forward in the appellate process, where judges will determine whether the lower court’s order was appropriate and how state agencies should proceed as the broader legal questions surrounding the EPIC City project continue to unfold.
