In a high-stakes escalation over redistricting, the Texas House voted 85–6 on Monday to authorize civil arrest warrants for Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to deny Republicans the two-thirds quorum needed to pass a new congressional map. Governor Greg Abbott immediately ordered the Department of Public Safety to locate and apprehend missing legislators and return them to the Capitol. “This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol,” he added.
As Newsweek reports:
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican, said Monday that he’s prepared to issue civil arrest warrants for Democratic lawmakers who left the state to try to prevent the GOP-led Legislature from redrawing the state’s congressional districts.
Burrows urged Democrats to return to “fulfill your duty.”
“If you continue to go down this road, there will be consequences,” he said.
Moments later, a motion passed in the Texas House to issue arrest warrants for Democrats who fled the state and went to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts. It was not immediately clearly whether those can or will be enforced beyond Texas’ borders.
Of the 62-member caucus, over 50 Democrats fled to Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, and other states to avoid being compelled to return. Governors JB Pritzker (IL) and Kathy Hochul (NY) backed their quorum-denying efforts. Their departure stalled not only redistricting but also urgent legislation — including flood relief following last month’s Hill Country flash floods that left at least 135 dead.
Article III, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution explicitly authorizes both legislative chambers to “compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House may provide.”
In August 2021, the Texas Supreme Court upheld this authority in In re Abbott, ruling that the Texas Legislature may physically compel members — even detaining them — for quorum purposes.
During a 2003 redistricting fight, approximately 58 House Democrats fled to Ardmore, Oklahoma to deny quorum.
Then-Speaker Tom Craddick — the first Republican to hold the position since Reconstruction — issued arrest orders, though law enforcement ultimately didn’t compel lawmakers to return from Oklahoma. The standoff made national headlines and ignited debate over legislative authority.
In 2021, more than 51 Texas Democrats fled to Washington, D.C., in an effort to block GOP redistricting plans.
Speaker Dade Phelan responded by signing civil arrest warrants for the absent lawmakers — a move later upheld by the Texas Supreme Court.
While removal from office for abandonment is legally possible, it requires judicial proceedings in each individual district — a process Republicans have threatened before but acknowledged is both complicated and slow.
Democrats are already vowing payback through aggressive redistricting in blue states.
In New York, Hochul is once again embracing gerrymandering — after endorsing it during a chaotic post-2020 redistricting cycle, only to be thwarted by an independent redistricting commission.
Meanwhile, in Maryland, Democrats in Annapolis are salivating at the chance to wipe out the state’s only GOP-leaning district held by Rep. Andy Harris, chair of the House Freedom Caucus.
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This latest act of defiance by “principled” dens is just more proof of their priorities – power and control. If they really are concerned with the welfare of ALL Texans they would return and get the job done. Their continual whining about voters being disenfranchised by the redistricting is ample proof that they KNOW that they ‘need’ those gerrymandered districts to retain those districts under their control. If they put up quality candidates, they should be able to win the district regardless of the demographic makeup of the voters or the candidate.
No one is above the law (Unless they are democrats)
BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARREST ALL!!!!!!!!