The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - November 18, 2025

Episode Date: November 18, 2025

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Howdy, folks, today is Tuesday, November 18th, and you're listening to The Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans assistant editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the new Texas congressional map passed by the legislature this summer, intended to gain five seats for Republicans, constitutes a racial gerrymander according to an El Paso Federal Court, which enjoined the state from enforcing it for the 2026 midterms. The long-awaited ruling came on Tuesday after a couple of weeks of anxious speculation from both sides. The filing period for the midterms began on November 8th and ends on December 8th. Judge Jeffrey Brown of the El Paso Court's three-judge panel wrote, quote, The public perception of this case is that it's about politics. To be sure, politics played a role

in drawing the 2025 map. But it was about more than just politics. Substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 map, end quote. Brown continued, quote, for the reasons explained below, the court preliminarily enjoins the state from using the 2025 map. The court orders that the 26 congressional election in Texas shall proceed under the map that the Texas legislature enacted in 2021. End quote. Next. Amid rising tensions in Texas concerning religious extremist groups, Governor Greg Abbott has moved to designate two Muslim groups as foreign terrorist organizations, the Muslim Brotherhood and Council on American Islamic Relations, or CIA. Abbott said in a press release announcing the proclamation, quote, the Muslim Brotherhood and CIAR have long made their

goals clear, to forcibly impose Sharia law and establish Islam's mastership of the world. The governor continued, quote, Today I designated the Muslim Brotherhood and CIAR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations. These radical extremists are not welcome in our state and are now prohibited from acquiring any real property interest in Texas, end quote. Utilizing provisions of the Texas Penal Code, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code, and Texas Property Code, Abbott proclaimed that the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR will be unable to acquire land in Texas

and granted the Texas Office of the Attorney General the ability to enforce legal penalties against them for attempting to do so. In other news, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up a case that addresses issues of asylum seekers when they reach U.S. ports of entry. Case styled Noam versus Alotrolado was filed in July 2024 against the Biden administration. It involves two immigrant rights groups challenging the federal government's waitlist system for asylum seekers at points of entry along the southern border and turnback policy for those attempting to enter the country. The plaintiffs in the suit argue that they have been denied access to the asylum process and have had their due process rights violated under the immigration and national. Act. Regarding asylum claims that law specifically states, quote, any alien who is physically present in the United States or who arrives in the United States may apply for asylum, and, quote, shall be inspected by immigration officers. Also, federal Department of Justice officials announced charges

against 21 alleged members of a violent criminal street gang known as Kick Doe in Arlington. The group has been charged with racketeering, murder, drug trafficking, and gun crimes, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy Larson announced in a press release last week. As of Friday, November 7th, all 21 were in custody. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Arlington Police Department began investigating Kikdo in April 24 after one of its members was shot and killed on a high school campus in Arlington. After the murder, several retaliatory shootings between Kikto members and other Arlington gang members allegedly took place. Last but not least, Grapevine-Colliville Independent School District is considering closing

two elementary schools due to shrinking enrollment and other revenue considerations in the district. The Education Master Planning Committee has recommended the closure of Dove and Bransford Elementary Schools, based on an analysis of facilities, revenue, operating costs, feeder patterns, feasibility. The students from Dove Elementary will primarily move to Cannon and Silver Lake Elementary schools, and the Bransford Elementary students will move to either O.C. Taylor or Collieville Elementary Schools. Additionally, the school district will consider selling some of its properties, including Dove Elementary, the Early Childhood Development Center, and the Heritage Annex where the I University Prep staff is located. I. University Prep is a virtual academy

of Grapevine Collieville ISD. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the texan. News and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.