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Good morning,

Leftists have shown us there is nothing good about identity politics—and Christian conservatives must be wary of adopting any of the variants. More on that below.

This is the Texas Minute for Friday, January 16, 2026.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan

Collin County Rejects Plans for Controversial Islamic Development Erin Anderson reports [[link removed]] that Collin County officials have rejected a development plan submitted for the proposed Islamic community The Meadow, formerly branded as EPIC City.

The project is an expansion of the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC) that is designed to include 1,000 homes as well as a mosque/community center, a school, and other facilities catering to Muslim families. No work has yet begun on the more than 400 acres of empty farmland slated for development.

The development has also been the target of multiple state and federal investigations into its financing and other practices. So far, all have failed to find legal reasons to block the planned Islamic community.

County Judge Chris Hill said [[link removed]] that the plan's promoters had submitted their development plat late last month. He said county officials determined that the application was incomplete, lacked required documentation, and therefore could not be considered for approval. While the developers can resubmit their plat, Hill said he "will not support any development project that is founded upon discrimination." Brenham Rejects Tax Breaks for Foreign-owned Data Center After Brenham residents voiced concerns about a foreign-owned data center planned in their community, city council members unanimously voted against giving the project a tax break. Paige Feild has the story [[link removed]].

This took place as data centers are surging around Texas. Some local governments have approved tax incentives to entice data center companies to come to their areas, despite concerns from local taxpayers.RELATED NEWS Gillespie County has temporarily blocked the construction of a battery energy storage system [[link removed]] based on safety and environmental concerns about fire hazards and fire extinguishing methods. Austin Police Department to Increase Cooperation with ICE Local police in Texas’ capital city will soon work in closer partnership with federal immigration authorities, reports Adam Cahn [[link removed]]. Going forward, officers with the Austin Police Department will have discretion to inquire about immigration status as part of their day-to-day duties.

Under the old policy, the department was only required to hold persons subject to formal “ICE detainer” requests. The new policy permits, but does not require, the department to also cooperate with administrative warrants. The announcement follows the issuance of a memo by city legal staff that argues cooperation is required by a state law that was passed in 2017.

The APD policy change follows a nationwide series of confrontations between immigration agents and left-wing agitators. School Policeman Jailed for Sex Crimes Against Student A suspended Sanger Independent School District police officer faces four felony sex crime charges [[link removed]] involving a student.

Israel Demello was arrested this week and charged with various crimes related to allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a Sanger ISD student. The district's superintendent told families, without naming Demello, that the officer was no longer employed by Sanger ISD. School To Host Screening of Pro-Explicit Books Movie A public screening is scheduled at the Llano High School next week of the documentary “The Librarians.” As Addie Hovland reports [[link removed]], the film documents the stories of librarians across the country who have protested the removal of sexually explicit books targeting children.

Included in the documentary is Llano resident Suzette Baker. She filed suit against Llano County after being fired when she would not remove sexually explicit books targeting children from the library shelves.

Llano ISD did not respond to inquiries about the nature of its participation in the screening. GOP House Candidate Drops Out After Anti-Trump Posts Revealed Amy Fennell, a Republican candidate who had been challenging State Rep. Mike Olcott in the GOP primary for Texas House District 60, has withdrawn from the race after previously posting a series of social media comments sharply critical of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Brandon Waltens has the details [[link removed]].

Fennell said her decision to withdraw came after conversations with family and supporters, driven by what she described as a fundamental shift within the Republican Party. Her departure leaves incumbent Olcott as the only candidate in the race. This Sunday on REAL TEXANS Sheila Franklin [[link removed]]

On Sunday's edition of Real Texans, Brandon Waltens visits with 2025 Conservative Leader Award recipient Sheila Franklin about the importance of persistence in impacting public policy.

New interviews with REAL TEXANS [[link removed]] every Sunday!

Friday Reflection Identity Check [[link removed]]

by Michael Quinn Sullivan

Identity politics has driven Democrats into the nastiest recesses of their leftwing ideology. It would behoove folks on the right to take notice before going down the same, vile path.

There is nothing new about identity politics. The urge to easily designate someone a friend or foe based on a single external (and usually immutable) characteristic is not new to the 21st Century. Throughout history, it has taken on various forms—none of them good. It is the notion that led African tribes to trade their neighbors as slaves between each other and with Europeans. It drove Margaret Sanger to create Planned Parenthood. It was Adolf Hitler’s justification for genocide.

At its core, identity politics is about elevating ourselves while getting rid of “others.” Who? Those people who seem to have what “we” want, or can be made responsible for “our” travails. Rarely, of course, do those “others” actually live up to the hype. Such notions are the easy refuge of a lazy mind gripped by sin.

Make no mistake: it is sin that drives identity politics. Just as it separates us eternally from God, the most immediate effect of sin is to separate us from each other.

Christians are supposed to have a better vision of identity. It is one distinctly different from the tired old tropes of the fallen world. Frankly, the political and cultural identities assigned by the world are as useful to us as a screen door on a submarine.

When our enemy tries to define our allies for us, it is never for our good.

As Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Jesus does not see us as we see ourselves. He knows our identity: pitiful individuals who have fallen and cannot get up. In Him, though, we rise to something much better.

There is no room, in Paul’s explanation of identity, for hyphens. Using his terms, there is no such thing as a “Greek-Christian,” “Jewish-Christian,” or “Slave-Christian.” There is just “one in Christ Jesus.” This, in turn, must shape how we view the world.

Yes, groups of people acting in concert will do bad things, but in each case, the individuals bear culpability for their own actions. We must not force anyone to carry guilt for an injustice (real or imagined) committed by others, whether distant ancestors or modern contemporaries.

We cannot see people as “the Jews” or “the Greeks,” we must instead see individuals who need to know Christ.

Lastly, when we wrap an individual’s worth in the group identity of the world, we cease to be effective followers of Christ. Even when someone declares their identity to be in opposition to Christ, we must see them as a fellow sinner in need of His grace.

None of that is easy because sin makes it hard. The grace that brought us to Christ is the grace that lets us introduce Christ to others.

We must recall daily that our only meaningful identity is in Christ and in Christ alone.

Quote-Unquote

"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."

– G.K. Chesterton

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