Abbott orders arrest of democrats who fled to block redistricting

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the arrest of dozens of state Democrats who fled to block a Republican plan to redraw congressional districts in Donald Trump’s favor. Fifty‑seven Democratic lawmakers skipped town, flying to Illinois and New York in a dramatic bid to halt the GOP’s effort to push through a new electoral map that could hand Republicans five additional Congressional seats in Texas – boosting Trump’s chances of holding Congress in the midterms.

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 appointed officers are directed to send for all absentees whose attendance is not excused, and to secure and maintain their attendance under warrant of arrest if necessary,’ House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock announced. 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. 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. ‘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.’ 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.’