The US Supreme Court has temporarily blocked a lower court ruling that found Texas's congressional redistricting plan likely discriminated on racial grounds. The order, signed by Justice Samuel Alito, halts the lower court's decision while the Supreme Court considers whether to allow the new map to be used in the midterm elections.
The Texas map, drawn in the summer, was part of Donald Trump's efforts to preserve a slim Republican majority in the House. It aimed to give Republicans five additional seats, but a federal panel in El Paso ruled 2-1 that civil rights groups challenging the map on behalf of Black and Hispanic voters were likely to succeed.
The Supreme Court's conservative majority has previously blocked similar rulings that came close to elections. The order was issued about an hour after Texas appealed to avoid confusion ahead of March primary elections. Similar blocks have occurred in Alabama and Louisiana.
If the ruling eventually holds, Texas could be forced to use the map drawn in 2021 based on the 2020 census. The redrawn maps are also facing legal challenges in California, Missouri, and North Carolina.
