The Justice Department filed a lawsuit challenging legislative maps adopted by Texas Republicans in recent weeks that it says fail to recognize growth in the Latino population and discriminate against Black voters. The lawsuit alleges that the redistricting plan drawn by Texas lawmakers violates the Voting Rights Act. "The complaint we filed today alleges that Texas has violated Section Two by creating redistricting plans that deny or bridge the rights of Latino and Black voters to vote on account of their race, color or membership in a language-minority group," Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a news conference. The lawsuit targets both the US congressional map drawn for the next decade of elections and the plan for the state House. "The Legislature refused to recognize the State's growing minority electorate," the lawsuit states. "Although the Texas Congressional delegation expanded from 36 to 38 seats, Texas designed the two new seats to have Anglo voting majorities." After the 2020 census, Texas was awarded two additional seats in the US House of Representatives. The population growth that created the new seats was propelled by minority communities, with people of color making up 95% of the growth, according to census data. #CNN #DonLemonTonight