Texas Governor Greg Abbott is turning up the heat on Democratic state lawmakers who fled the state in a desperate stunt to block a Republican-led redistricting vote, warning that those who don't return by Monday afternoon could face arrest, expulsion, and even criminal charges.

“Real Texans don’t flee from a battle,” Abbott said in a fiery statement Sunday, blasting the Democrats who bolted for Chicago in an attempt to deny the legislature a quorum.

By fleeing Texas, the Democrats—nearly 50 of them—have paralyzed the Texas House, which requires 100 of 150 members present to conduct business. Their absence halted a special session intended to pass a redistricting map that could add five new Republican seats in Congress next year.

“Rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business,” Abbott wrote.

Abbott made it clear their actions are not just cowardly—they may be criminal.

“Derelict Democrat House members must return” by 3 p.m. Monday or face legal consequences, Abbott warned. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has already signaled he's ready to act, saying the lawmakers “should be found and arrested no matter where they go.”

Citing Article III, Section 13 of the Texas Constitution, Abbott said any lawmaker who has “forfeited his or her office due to abandonment” can be replaced by executive appointment—vacating the seat and allowing the governor to “swiftly fill” it.

But that’s not all. Abbott also sounded the alarm on potential fundraising violations, stating that Democrats seeking or accepting donations to offset the penalties they may incur under House rules could be committing a felony.

“Any Democrat who ‘solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept’ such funds to assist in the violation of legislative duties or for purposes of skipping a vote may have violated bribery laws,” he wrote. “Anyone who ‘offers, confers, or agrees to confer’ money to the fleeing lawmakers could also face charges.”

He closed his statement by declaring he will “use [his] full extradition authority to demand the return to Texas of any potential out-of-state felons.”

The Democrats, meanwhile, issued a taunting response via their House Caucus:

“Come and take it.”

The standoff centers around the GOP’s proposal to redraw congressional districts—an effort that Democrats call a “racist mid-decade redistricting scheme,” claiming it would dilute the influence of minority voters in cities like Dallas and Houston.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat whose district would be redrawn under the plan, would be pushed out of her current seat entirely.

Still, Republicans maintain the redistricting process is lawful, overdue, and necessary to ensure representation reflects population shifts and growth—particularly in fast-growing Republican areas.

In an increasingly theatrical show of defiance, House Democrats held a press conference from Chicago on Sunday, with their Caucus Chair, Rep. Gene Wu, claiming, “We’re not here to play political games. We’ve come to put a stop to this rotten system.”

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, joined the charade, calling the fleeing lawmakers’ actions a “righteous act of courage” and accusing Texas Republicans of trying to suppress “millions of voices, especially Black and Latino voters.”

Not everyone was impressed.

Back in Austin, tempers flared during a five-hour public hearing last week on the redistricting bill. Leftist activists packed the hearing but failed to win over a single Republican. One of the more dramatic moments came when Isaiah Martin, a far-left District 18 congressional candidate, refused to yield after his two-minute limit and was physically removed by Capitol security.

“The sergeants are directed to remove the gentleman from the room,” said Committee Chairman Cody Vasut, as Martin shouted while being dragged out: “History will not remember you for what you have done!”

Theatrics aside, the GOP-led redistricting vote remains on the calendar for Monday afternoon. Whether Texas Democrats return to do their jobs or continue hiding behind media spectacle and out-of-state hotel rooms may determine their political future.