In a move that highlights the growing battle between state sovereignty and progressive obstruction, the FBI has agreed to assist in locating Texas Democrats who fled the state in a dramatic attempt to grind the legislative process to a halt.

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers from the Texas House abandoned their posts on Sunday, boarding flights to Chicago to avoid a quorum and block a scheduled redistricting vote during a special legislative session. Their objective? Paralyze the process, evade accountability, and prevent Texas Republicans from doing the job voters elected them to do.

But their stunt is now backfiring.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) announced Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel had approved his request for the Bureau to help locate and detain the rogue lawmakers who crossed state lines to obstruct the democratic process.

“I am proud to announce that Director Kash Patel has approved my request for the FBI to assist state and local law enforcement in locating runaway Texas House Democrats,” Cornyn stated. “I thank President Trump and Director Patel for supporting and swiftly acting on my call for the federal government to hold these supposed lawmakers accountable for fleeing Texas. We cannot allow these rogue legislators to avoid their constitutional responsibilities.”

President Donald Trump, speaking during a White House press briefing Wednesday, made it clear he supports the push to bring these legislators back to Austin to face the music.

“Well, they may have to,” Trump said of the FBI’s involvement. “I know they want them back. The Governor of Texas is demanding they come back. So, a lot of people are demanding they come back. You can’t just sit it out. You have to go back. You have to fight it. That’s what elections are about.”

Despite the federal support, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running against Cornyn in next year’s Senate primary, expressed skepticism about federal involvement.

“This is a state issue. I don’t know what the FBI would have to do with this – nothing. This is a purely state issue,” Paxton said during a podcast appearance.

Cornyn, however, defended his move, emphasizing the cross-state nature of the incident.

“The FBI has tools to aid state law enforcement when parties cross state lines, including to avoid testifying or fleeing a scene of a crime,” Cornyn explained. “Specifically, I am concerned that legislators who solicited or accepted funds to aid in their efforts to avoid their legislative duties may be guilty of bribery or other public corruption offenses.”

In response to the mass walkout, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) signed civil arrest warrants for the absentee lawmakers. Only eight Democrats had returned by Tuesday. Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the remaining members to return by Monday or face arrest and possible expulsion from office. He has also directed the Texas Rangers to explore bribery charges and tasked the Department of Public Safety with detaining the lawmakers upon reentry into the state.

Adding to the legal heat, Abbott filed an emergency petition with the Texas Supreme Court seeking to remove Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston), the chair of the House Democratic Caucus.

Meanwhile, the progressive leadership in Illinois, where many of the Texas Democrats are hiding out, is openly defying federal authority. Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker declared Wednesday that FBI agents would be “unwelcome” in his state if they attempted to pursue the Texas lawmakers.

“They’re grandstanding. There’s literally no federal law applicable to this situation. None,” Pritzker told left-wing podcast host Jessica Yellin. “They can say that they’re sending FBI. FBI agents might show up to, I don’t know, put a show on.”

Pritzker added, “Whether it’s federal agents coming to Illinois or state rangers from Texas, if you haven’t broken federal law, you’re basically unwelcome.”

The political theater is reaching a boiling point, but conservatives argue the core issue remains clear: Democrat lawmakers are attempting to derail democratic processes by fleeing their responsibilities—while hiding behind partisan governors in blue states.

With the FBI now involved, accountability may finally be on its way.