TEXAS: Arrest Warrants APPROVED For Democrat Lawmakers Who Broke Quorum

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS ALERT!

The Texas House voted to approve arrest warrants for Democrat lawmakers who fled the state to block the passage of the proposed congressional district redraw that would likely give the GOP five additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

DEVELOPING: Democrat Governor Brokers Plan With State Lawmakers In Effort To Block Redistricting Plan, Republican Attorney General Supports “Immediate Arrest”

"Chamber doors have been locked and House lawmakers have passed a motion to issue arrest warrants for Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state," KVUE reporter Daniel Perreault said.

Check it out:

Chamber doors have been locked and House lawmakers have passed a motion to issue arrest warrants for Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state. pic.twitter.com/a34N9jiLpC

— Daniel Perreault (@DPerreaultTV) August 4, 2025

“I have signed the civil arrest warrants,” Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows told reporters.

“We will work with DPS (the Texas Department of Public Safety) to locate members," he added.

Footage from the Texas House:

A motion to issue arrest warrants has passed.

Texas Speaker of the House Burrows has stated that members will be arrested, even the Democrat member hosting a fundraiser in Austin. Burrows says “DPS should be invited to the fundraiser”. pic.twitter.com/Sd3eJ81Chv

— Sarah Fields (@SarahisCensored) August 4, 2025

Democracy Docket added:

But it’s unclear how Texas law enforcement could legally arrest lawmakers who are breaking quorum.

“A warrant issued by the Texas House is not effective out of the state unless another state chooses to domesticate it and enforce it under that state’s laws,” Chad Dunn, a longtime Texas election and voting rights lawyer, told Democracy Docket.

Most Democrats who left the state have gone to Illinois – under the jurisdiction of Gov. JB Pritzker (D).

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“We’re going to do everything we can to protect every single one of them,” Pritzker told reporters Sunday night.

Before Monday’s vote, prominent Texas Republicans threatened Democrats with arrest if they left the state. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Sunday he supports “the immediate arrest of these rogue lawmakers who’ve fled their duties,” while Sen. John Cornyn said he approves of “any and all measures taken by Governor Abbott and state leaders to end this charade.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement earlier on Monday threatening House Democrat members with “potential loss of their seats and felony violations” for breaking quorum.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Gives Ultimatum To Democrat Lawmakers Attempting To Stop Congressional District Redraw Vote

"Real Texans do not run from a fight. But that’s exactly what most of the Texas House Democrats just did. Rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business," Abbott said in the statement.

"These absences are not merely unintended and unavoidable interruptions in public service, like a sudden illness or a family emergency. Instead, these absences were premeditated for an illegitimate purpose—what one representative called 'breaking quorum.' Another previously signaled that Democrats 'would have to go by an extreme measure' of a quorum break 'to stop these bills from happening.' In other words, Democrats hatched a deliberate plan not to show up for work, for the specific purpose of abdicating the duties of their office and thwarting the chamber’s business," the statement continued.

"This truancy ends now. The derelict Democrat House members must return to Texas and be in attendance when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025," Abbott said.

"For any member who fails to do so, I will invoke Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 to remove the missing Democrats from membership in the Texas House," he added.

Read the full statement HERE.