The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agreed to help locate Texas Democratic lawmakers who left the state to block a vote on a redistricting plan, Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn announced Thursday.
Cornyn said the FBI agreed to his request to help track down dozens of lawmakers who fled Texas in an attempt to block the vote, according to a New York Times (NYT) report.
Cornyn Says F.B.I. Will Help Find Texas Lawmakers Who Fled State https://t.co/31kZahlvZn
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) August 7, 2025
Cornyn requested the FBI’s assistance in a letter Tuesday, claiming the Democratic lawmakers may have broken state bribery laws in backing efforts to block a vote on Texas’ redistricting plan by allegedly accepting funds from outside groups. (RELATED: HART: Texas Dems Do The Two-Step By Fleeing To Illinois)
Groups connected to billionaire donor George Soros and failed Texas candidate Beto O’Rourke are allegedly covering expenses for Democrats who fled the state to oppose the Republican redistricting effort, The Texas Tribune reported.
“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn said in a statement.
“I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas.”
The deployment of federal agents could spark a conflict between the Trump administration and Illinois officials, where many of the missing Democrats are staying.
The Texas lawmakers have been staying at a hotel in St. Charles, Illinois, outside Chicago, the NYT reported.
While their location is no secret, the Democrats apparently believed they were safe from arrest since they were outside the reach of Texas law enforcement.
As of publication, it is uncertain whether federal agents will take any action, or what role they might ultimately play in locating the lawmakers, the NYT noted. (RELATED: Don Lemon Nods Along As Texas Dem Likens Congressional Redistricting To Holocaust)
Democrat Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker responded to the idea that federal agents could be deployed against the Texas lawmakers present in his state.
Everything’s on the table.
Republicans are using every method they can, whether it’s cheating or breaking the law.
We’ve got to do everything we can to stand up and fight back — we’re not sitting around and complaining from the sidelines when we have the ability to stop them. https://t.co/X0T7rZDBNN
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) August 4, 2025
“There literally is no federal law applicable to this situation, none they can say that they’re sending FBI,” Pritzker said Wednesday, according to the NYT.
He implied that federal law enforcement might be deployed to pressure or intimidate the lawmakers, even without grounds for arrest, the outlet reported.
“The FBI agents might show up just to, I don’t know, again, to put a show on,” he said.
Cornyn stated Thursday the FBI will help state law enforcement find the individuals who defied the law by crossing state lines.
“The FBI has tools to aid state law enforcement when parties cross state lines, including to avoid testifying or fleeing a scene of a crime,” he wrote in his letter to Patel. “Specifically, I am concerned that legislators who solicited or accepted funds to aid in their efforts to avoid their legislative duties may be guilty of bribery or other public corruption offenses.”
🚨@FBIDirectorKash has responded to my request to assist state & local law enforcement locate the runaway Texas House Democrats and investigate potential offenses.
Thank you Director Patel for your swift response & action!
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) August 6, 2025
A total of 51 Texas lawmakers traveled to Illinois to prevent the state House from reaching a quorum, aiming to block a vote on the proposed redistricting map.
Since Sunday, many Democrats have remained in Illinois to keep Republicans from securing the necessary votes for the congressional map. (RELATED: Eric Holder Throws Out Crazy Theory About Texas Redistricting)
The new Texas redistricting map would reshape five Democratic-held districts to favor Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections.
The FBI declined to comment to the Daily Caller.
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