Illinois Governor Blocks FBI Arrests of Fleeing Texas Democrats Amid Redistricting Dispute

Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn announced that FBI Director Kash Patel approved his request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating Texas House Democrats who fled the state to block a Republican redistricting bill. President Trump supported this move, emphasizing the GOP's entitlement to additional House seats. However, Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker dismissed the possibility of FBI involvement in arresting the Texas Democrats, calling it "grandstanding" by Trump and Cornyn, and stating there is no federal law authorizing such arrests. Pritzker underscored that Illinois law enforcement would protect the Texas lawmakers and that no federal crime has been committed to warrant FBI action. The Democrats fled to prevent a quorum in the Texas House, which is required to pass the redistricting plan that would likely shift five congressional seats to Republicans. This standoff highlights the national stakes in the partisan redistricting battles ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.