A three-judge federal panel in Alabama has issued a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking the state from adopting new congressional district maps that would have eliminated one of its two majority-Black districts, a move that could have helped Republicans reclaim a seat currently held by Democratic Representative Shomari Figures. The court ordered Alabama to continue using the same districts that were in place for the 2024 elections, siding with Black voters' lawyers who argued the new maps were discriminatory and that changing district lines mid-election year would create chaos. Alabama's Republican leaders are expected to appeal the ruling, which is the latest flashpoint in a broader wave of redistricting efforts across Southern states following a Supreme Court decision that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act.