Texas Governor Greg Abbott has mandated the arrest of numerous state Democrats who left to prevent the passage of a Republican proposal intended to redraw congressional districts to benefit Donald Trump.

In a bold move to stop the GOP’s plan to advance a new electoral map potentially granting Republicans five additional Congressional seats in Texas, fifty-seven Democratic lawmakers departed to Illinois and New York. This could enhance Trump’s chances of maintaining control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections.

Abbott gave the Democrats until 3 p.m. Monday to return to Austin, warning they risked arrest and even losing their seats.

When none came back, Republican leaders authorized law enforcement to bring them in ‘by any means necessary.’

‘The sergeant-at-arms and any designated officers are instructed to pursue all absentees lacking an approved excuse and to ensure their attendance through arrest warrants if needed,’ announced House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock.

By fleeing the state, Democrats broke quorum in the Texas legislature, preventing Republicans from conducting official business.

Democrats call the redistricting plan a blatant power grab and told DailyMail.com they welcome the showdown with Republicans.

‘When we have the President of the United States looking for five Congressional seats, this can eventually impact the entire United States, so to say that we are doing this to grand stand is bullshit, with all due respect,’ Texas Rep. Linda Garcia told DailyMail.com Monday afternoon.

Runaway Democrat Texas Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, left, speaks to the media as leader of Texas House Democrats State Rep. Gene Wu, right and other Texan democratic legislators listen during a press conference in Chicago Sunday

Among the liberals on the lamb, two members of the House are traveling with children– a nine and five-year-old. 

Garcia decided to bring her nine-year-old son after not having great child care options and realizing she might be in Chicago until Aug. 19– when the current special session ends. 

‘What I want him to understand is that sometimes we have to make very big sacrifices in order to generate change,’ the Mesquite (a Dallas suburb) Democrat shared in a phone interview from Chicago.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the arrests of rogue Democrats who fled the state on Monday afternoon

‘I walked him through worst possible scenarios that could take place, including getting arrested, getting bombarded by press…and he has been very brave.’

Abbott doubled down by ordering Texas troopers to arrest all rouge Democrats Monday afternoon. 

Garcia’s elementary school student has found a playmate in the five-year-old grandchild of another representative who was forced to bring the boy as well. 

‘This is going to be one of the greatest lessons he could learn. I would hope that in the future he would recall the courage that as a mother this requires,’ she said, her voice cracking with emotion. 

They have been working with lawyers who told them arrests were a likely outcome. 

However, the Lone Star State Democrats believe this is a moment of inflection nationally, particularly because the congressional district that will be redrawn in Texas if the GOP gets its way would impact Black and Hispanic communities.

‘You’re going to steal the power and the voices of black and brown communities– we’re not just going roll over and just allow you to do that,’ Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons added. 

‘The message that I’m receiving from my community is that we need to stand up and hold the line.’ 

Texas State Representative Linda Garcia (far right) stands behind her nine-year-old-son at a press conference in Chicago. The mom decided to bring her child as she joined nearly 60 other Democrats in fleeing the state to stop what they called a Republican power grab

 Texas Democratic House members including State Rep. TREY MARTINEZ FISCHER, D-San Antonio, arrive at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport catching a private charter plane to Chicago in an attemt to break quorum on a redistricting bill on August 3, 2025. At left is State Rep. CHRIS TURNER, D-Grand Prairie. Texas House Members Leave Texas, Austin, Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a close ally of President Donald Trump, has ordered state lawmakers to redrawn congressional maps in the Lone Star State outside of the normal 10-year period so that POTUS and the GOP will have an advantage in the 2026 elections

In fact, the Dems wouldn’t share their location in Chicago with Daily Mail, explaining they knew arrests were looming early Monday. 

‘We know that Donald Trump is the one spear-heading all of this. We don’t know what he’s capable of, we are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best,’ Rep. Christina Morales said via phone interview. 

State Attorney General Ken Paxton, bragged he successfully secured a Texas Supreme Court ruling that held that the House could arrest absent members to secure their presence and establish a quorum when Democrats fled the state in 2021.

‘If he wants to round up and arrest duly elected officials whose constiuents are watching and who put us in office, so be it,’ Rep. Simmons said of Abbott.

‘I hope he understands, you can only push people so far to their breaking point and then there will be a response.’