Texas redistricting hearing hosted at University of Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- People made their voices heard about redistricting in a hearing Saturday at the University of Houston.

The redistricting proposal has gained national attention as the federal government seeks to flip congressional seats in Texas.

The hearing began at 11 a.m. in the Student Center, Room 220. The public comment portion is limited to five hours.

Before the hearing, those opposed to the redistricting efforts said they had a peaceful protest.

It's not the first protest against redistricting this week; earlier this week, people gathered outside the Capitol in opposition during the first redistricting hearing.

The moves come after President Trump asked state GOP members to redraw the Texas map, in order to help Republicans gain five seats in Congress and maintain republican control.

RELATED: Newsom calls GOP's push to redraw TX congressional maps an 'existential crisis to democracy'

Three of the four districts that the U.S. Justice Department has a problem with are in the metro area. The other, the 33rd, is in Fort Worth.

The DOJ has raised constitutional concerns that those four districts were drawn based on race.

Lawmakers now only have 25 days left in the special session to decide on redistricting, and both sides of the aisle are speaking out.

ABC13 will recap the hearing in later editions of Eyewitness News.

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