FBI Will Pursue Fugitive Democrats Escaping Texas Redistricting Vote

FBI to Assist in Locating Texas Democrats

The FBI has agreed to help track down Texas Democrats who left the state to obstruct votes on rezoning plans, as announced by Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas.

Cornyn mentioned that he made a request to the FBI to aid in locating the lawmakers who fled. This move follows reports that Democrats may have violated bribery laws while trying to block votes on Texas’s constituency changes, potentially accepting funds from external groups.

Cornyn stated, “I am proud to announce that Coach Kash Patel has approved my request to the FBI to help state and local law enforcement find a runaway Texas House Democrat.” He expressed gratitude towards President Trump and Director Patel for their swift action, aiming to hold these lawmakers accountable for their departure from Texas.

It’s been reported that the Texas legislators are currently staying in a hotel in St. Charles, Illinois, which is located just outside of Chicago. While their whereabouts are known, Democrats likely thought they would be safe from arrest as they believed they were beyond the reach of Texas law enforcement. However, it’s unclear what actions, if any, federal agents might take as of now.

Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker reacted to the prospect of federal agents taking action against Texas lawmakers in his state. He mentioned, “There is literally no federal law that applies to this situation. You can’t say they’re sending the FBI.” He suggested that federal law enforcement could be used to pressure lawmakers, even without solid grounds for arrest.

Following Cornyn’s request, the FBI stated that they possess resources to assist state law enforcement when it comes to individuals crossing state lines and potentially violating laws. They expressed concern that legislators who accepted funds to circumvent their legislative duties could be guilty of public corruption crimes.

A total of 51 Texas legislators went to Illinois in an attempt to prevent the Texas Capitol from achieving a quorum to vote on the proposed constituency map, which aims to restructure five Democratic districts to favor Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.