The Texas House of Representatives voted Monday to approve civil arrest warrants for Democratic lawmakers who fled the state to prevent a quorum, halting progress on Republican redistricting legislation that could net the GOP five new congressional seats in 2026.
With the 4:00 p.m. CT deadline come and gone and no quorum established, Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) announced he would sign warrants for the absent Democrats and ordered the Sergeant at Arms and law enforcement to locate and return them to the Capitol.
Abbott Orders DPS to Track Down “Delinquent” Lawmakers
Shortly after the vote, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to begin locating and detaining the fleeing lawmakers.
“To ensure compliance, I ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans,” Abbott said in a statement Monday.
“This order will remain in effect until all missing Democrat House members are accounted for and brought to the Texas Capitol.”
Arrest Warrants and Expulsion on the Table
Speaker Burrows made clear that