FBI Joins Search For Texas House Democrats Who Fled State, U.S. Senator Says

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said the FBI agreed to his request that they join the effort to find Texas House Democrats who fled the state to block the congressional district redraw vote.

“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the F.B.I. to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn said in a statement, according to The New York Times.

Many of the Democrats went to Illinois, under the jurisdiction of Gov. JB Pritzker.

Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said that FBI Director Kash Patel has granted his request for the federal government to assist with locating Texas House Democrats who fled the state in protest of GOP-led redistricting efforts.

Read more: https://t.co/gyBkilVAeg pic.twitter.com/6UgwBmQJdN

— ABC News (@ABC) August 7, 2025

More from The New York Times:

The activation of federal agents could create a standoff between the Trump administration and state leaders in Illinois, where many of the absent Democrats have taken refuge.

It was not clear on Thursday morning whether federal agents had actually taken action in the case, or what role they might eventually play.

Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois scoffed at the idea that federal agents could be deployed against the Texas lawmakers present in his state, calling it “a lot of grandstanding.”

“The reality is that all that he has said is that the F.B.I. has been authorized to locate the House Democrats — nothing more,” Mr. Pritzker told reporters at the Illinois State Fair on Thursday. “I welcome the F.B.I. coming to the state,” he added. “But they won’t be arresting anyone because there is no federal law that prohibits those Texas House Democrats from being here.”

Mr. Pritzker has previously said that federal law enforcement agents might be used in an attempt to intimidate lawmakers, even if the agents did not have cause to make arrests.

President Trump said federal authorities “may have to” get involved, NBC News noted.

On Monday, the Texas House voted to approve arrest warrants for Democrat lawmakers who fled the state.

TEXAS: Arrest Warrants APPROVED For Democrat Lawmakers Who Broke Quorum

Previously, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed to vacate House seats held by Democrats who fled the state if they do not return to perform legislative duties by Friday.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Issues Warning To Democrat Lawmakers Who Fled State

“Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that the continued refusal to perform legislative duties by Texas House Democrats who broke quorum constitutes abandonment of office and that he will pursue a court ruling ensuring that their seats are declared vacant,” a release from Paxton’s office read.

“Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows has given members until Friday, August 8, to return to Texas and present themselves before the House. Any lawmaker who has not been arrested and returned or fails to appear by the Speaker’s deadline will be subject to aggressive legal action by Attorney General Paxton,” it continued.

“Democrats have abandoned their offices by fleeing Texas, and a failure to respond to a call of the House constitutes a dereliction of their duty as elected officials,” Paxton said.

“Starting Friday, any rogue lawmakers refusing to return to the House will be held accountable for vacating their office. The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired,” he added.

🚨BREAKING: I will seek judicial orders declaring that runaway Democrats who fail to appear by the Speaker’s deadline have vacated their office.

The people of Texas elected lawmakers, not jet-setting runaways looking for headlines. If you don’t show up to work, you get fired. pic.twitter.com/yyPWavY38P

— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) August 5, 2025

NBC News provided further details:

It's unclear exactly what role the FBI would play given that no criminal warrants have been filed against the Texas lawmakers. The Texas House speaker issued civil warrants, but federal agents would not have the authority to act on those.

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A federal law enforcement official familiar with the situation told NBC News that as of Thursday morning, FBI agents had not taken any actions to attempt to locate the Texas lawmakers.

Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Cornyn’s office deferred to the FBI for further details about the request. Spokespersons for the FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment.

NBC News has reached out to the Texas House Democratic Caucus for comment.

Many of the state legislators who left Texas have been speaking in public at news conferences and in interviews in different states, including New York, Massachusetts and Illinois.

Texas House Democrats who fled to Illinois faced a bomb threat at a hotel on Wednesday.

Bomb Threat At Illinois Hotel Forces Texas House Democrats To Evacuate