In a recent address during the Sharia-Free America Caucus Special Order Hour, Texas Rep. Keith Self stated that 'Sharia is alive, well, and operating in Plano, Texas,' identifying the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) as operating a 'Sharia-adherent enclave' in his district for over a decade, located near law enforcement facilities. Self, who co-launched the caucus with Rep. Chip Roy, described a pattern of Islamic centers being positioned adjacent to police training sites in Plano and Irving, suggesting intent to intimidate or assert parallel authority. This fits into broader concerns about assimilation and the creation of parallel societies in the United States.

The claims center on EPIC, one of the largest mosques in North Texas, and its related development initiatives. The proposed EPIC City project, spanning hundreds of acres in Collin and Hunt counties, has drawn significant official attention. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against EPIC and affiliated entities in late 2025, alleging an illegal land development scheme that violated state securities laws, with promotional materials implying the community would be reserved primarily for Muslims and positioned as the 'epicenter of Islam in North America.' State officials, including Gov. Greg Abbott, have explicitly rejected any notion of 'Sharia cities' or 'no-go zones' on Texas soil.

Federal and state inquiries have followed, with Sen. John Cornyn calling on the DOJ to investigate potential religious discrimination and Sharia enforcement in the planned community. NPR reporting contextualizes the pushback as involving misconceptions about Sharia, which project supporters describe as guidance for personal practices like prayer and diet rather than a replacement for U.S. civil law. Critics, however, point to the scale of the project and exclusionary implications as evidence of eroding sovereignty and demographic transformation without assimilation.

Self's intervention highlights connections often missed in coverage: the strategic placement of such centers, the use of for-profit entities for residential developments, and the formation of dedicated congressional caucuses to counter what proponents view as an existential cultural challenge. Similar debates have emerged around Muslim communities in Dearborn, Michigan, and European no-go zone controversies, where parallel social norms have sometimes strained local policing and social cohesion. While legacy outlets often frame these as Islamophobic fearmongering, official actions by Texas state government and Republican lawmakers demonstrate tangible policy responses, including ballot measures and lawsuits. The episode underscores tensions between religious freedom and the expectation of a unified legal system under the Constitution. As mass migration continues, the Plano case may serve as a test for whether American institutions will enforce assimilation or tolerate expanding parallel societies.