Good morning, 

This is the Texas Minute for Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Abbott Calls for Criminal Investigations Into Sharia Courts

• Based on reports that sharia tribunals are operating in North Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott is calling on law enforcement officials to take on these rogue "courts" in Collin and Dallas counties. Brandon Waltens has the details.
     
• In a letter sent yesterday to local district attorneys, sheriffs, the Texas attorney general, and the Department of Public Safety, Abbott warned that certain entities may be “masquerading as legal ‘courts’ staffed with ‘judges’ issuing orders” that claim to bind individuals to Islamic law.
       

• Abbott noted that while the First Amendment provides wide latitude for religious bodies to adjudicate internal doctrinal and ecclesiastical matters, he said that authority does not extend to functioning as a parallel legal system. 
     

• The governor is singling out the “Islamic Tribunal.” The group purports to resolve a broad range of disputes in the Dallas area and claims to have the “approval of the Texas Judicial system.” Abbott says that is neither true nor lawful.
      

• “Legal disputes in Texas must be decided based on American law rooted in the fundamental principles of American due process, not according to Sharia law dispensed in modern day star chambers.” – Greg Abbott

Gill: Fast-Track Removal of Criminal Aliens

• Debra McClure reports that legislation expediting the removal of illegal aliens who have commited violent crimes is heading to the floor of the U.S. House for a vote.
   
• The measure, authored by U.S. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Flower Mound), is designed to fast-track a removal process that currently involves years of litigation. It would also make mandatory the removal of aliens convicted of violent criminal acts.
     
• "For far too long, Democrat leaders have allowed illegal aliens to get away with unspeakable crimes on our soil, turning a blind eye to the suffering American families who call this land home." – Brandon Gill

OTHER FEDERAL NEWS

• "In order to take the initiative in what can only be deemed as asymmetrical warfare against the cartels and their business partners, law enforcement must change their mindset." – Roy Boyd

Paxton Secures Major Win Against Harris County

• Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a legal victory that could alter Harris County’s controversial bail policy. As Sydnie Henry reports, defendants were being released on minimal or no bond despite prior criminal histories.
      
• The policy arose from a so-called consent decree related to a 2016 lawsuit against Harris County. Rather than proceed with the lawsuit, the county and plaintiffs agreed to a series of reforms that critics say have been responsible for severe spikes in crime.
     
• Paxton's office has argued that the consent decree and resulting county policy undermined public safety and conflicted with state law. 
      
• The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled the consent decree should not have been allowed in the first place, allowing the AG's office to challenge both the decree and the subsequent policies.

SBOE Debates Digital-Only Curriculum

• As the State Board of Education weighs more than 300 proposed curriculum programs this week, what emerged was a deeper clash over the role of screens in the classroom. Addie Hovland has the story.
     
• While some board members argued that high-quality digital resources can offer broad accessibility and immediate content updates, others voiced apprehensions about the negative effects of increased screen time.
       
• A state law took effect this fall requiring school districts to enact policies that prohibit students from using personal communication devices, such as phones, tablets, and smartwatches this year. For districts with "Bring Your Own Device" programs, the dueling policies—prohibited devices and digital curriculum—could create a conflict.

Community College Instructor Arrested for Sex Crimes Against Children

• A now-former Alvin Community College dual enrollment instructor has been arrested and charged with multiple child sex crimes. 
      
• Erik Neel, who worked as a contract instructor at two schools in Pearland Independent School District through the community college, was apprehended after allegedly attempting online contact with someone he believed to be under the age of 15. He now faces charges including online solicitation of a minor and two counts related to possession of computer-generated child pornography.
      
• School officials have said none of the charges involve students in Pearland ISD.

Working To Take Down Conservative Legislators

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"When those who are governed do too little, those who govern can—and often will—do too much." – Ronald Reagan​

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