Updated Aug 7, 2025 - Politics & Policy

FBI will help locate Texas Democrats who fled the state, Cornyn says

Philip Wang

Democratic Texas Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr. speaks alongside other Texas Democrats during a press conference on Aug. 4 in Warrenville, Ill. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

The FBI has agreed to cooperate with Texas state law enforcement to locate the 50 Democratic legislators who left the state to avoid a vote on redistricting, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said on Thursday.

The big picture: For days, Texas Republicans have been threatening the state legislators with "legal consequences" for breaking the quorum, a sentiment that President Trump also echoed.

Trump has asked Texas to redraw its congressional maps mid-decade to give Republicans another five seats in Congress.

Driving the news: In a statement, Cornyn said FBI director Kash Patel has granted his request to help locate the lawmakers.

"We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities," Cornyn said.
It is unclear if the FBI will apprehend the legislators in Illinois and other states. The FBI declined to comment.
Texas issued civil warrants for the Democratic lawmakers, but local law enforcement can't make arrests outside the state.
The Democrats face a $500 fine for every day they break quorum.

Zoom in: Republicans in the Lone Star State have dialed up the pressure on Democrats in recent days, shifting the battleground from press briefing rooms to the courthouse.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton each asked the state Supreme Court on Tuesday to remove state Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the House Democratic Caucus, from his office.
Paxton also launched an investigation into Beto O'Rourke's organization Powered by People, claiming it might be "operating an illegal financial influence scheme to bribe" legislators who fled the state.
Asked Tuesday whether the FBI should be involved in arresting the Texas Democrats, Trump said it "may have to."

The other side: "There's literally no federal law applicable to this situation. None," Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker told News Not Noise founder Jessica Yellin on Wednesday.

"They can say that they're sending FBI. FBI agents might show up to, I don't know, put a show on. But the fact is, our local law enforcement protects everybody in the state in Illinois."
"And so, whether it's federal agents coming to Illinois or state rangers from Texas, if you haven't broken federal law, you're basically unwelcome, and there's no way that our state legislators here, Texas state legislators, can be arrested."

Go deeper: The problems awaiting Texas Democrats if they return

Editor's note: This story has been updated with a response from the FBI.

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FBI will help locate Texas Democrats who fled the state, Cornyn says

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