Illinois court will not enforce Texas arrests warrants against House Democrats
JB Pritzker, governor of Illinois, from left, Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, and State Representative Ramon Romero, a Democrat from Texas, during a news conference in Aurora, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Texas Governor Gre
ADAMS COUNTY, Ill. - An Illinois judge ruled that the state will not enforce civil warrants against Texas House Democrats that left the state during the special legislative session.
After Democrats fled the state to prevent a vote on redrawn congressional maps, House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil arrest warrants against those Democrats on Aug. 4. The warrants can only be enforced inside the state.
Last week, Burrows and Attorney General Ken Paxton petitioned courts in Illinois and California, two of the states where Democrats fled, to recognize those warrants and assist Texas in forcing those lawmakers to return.
What they're saying:
Judge Scott Larson said Wednesday that Paxton and Burrows did not demonstrate how the Illinois court had jurisdiction over "such a unique cause of action."
Larson said the court could not consider or determine if "foreign legislators" were "willfully evading" civil warrants issued in Texas.
Additionally, the court cannot direct Illinois law enforcement officers to execute civil warrants against "nonresidents" currently in the state.
Ken Paxton petitions Texas Supreme Court to remove quorum-breaking Democrats
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is asking the state's highest court to vacate the seats of more than a dozen Texas House Democrats that left the state to break quorum in an attempt to prevent a vote on redrawn congressional maps.
"Further, this court notes that the quorum warrants issued by the State of Texas House of Representatives are geographically limited and specifically requests that the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives of the State of Texas take into custody the Member, ‘wherever the Member may be found in the State [Texas],'" Larson said.
Larson said that even if the court could consider the case, it could only consider if the lawmakers were disobeying a court order and not force their return.
Texas legislature special session and quorum break
The backstory:
Texas Democrats left the state on Aug. 3 to prevent a vote on new congressional maps proposed by Republicans that sought to gain five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Democratic lawmakers fled to Illinois, California, New York and Massachusetts in a effort to prevent the House from reaching a quorum, or the minimum number of members required to take up legislation.
Gov. Abbott will call special sessions until Texas Democrats return
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would continue to call special legislative sessions until Democratic lawmakers who left the state return to the Capitol.
Earlier this week, the House and Senate announced they would end the first special session early if lawmakers do not return by Friday.
Gov. Greg Abbott has said he will immediately call a second special session when the first one ends and continue to call special sessions until Democrats return to the House.
The Source: Information on the Illinois court ruling comes from court documents filed in the 8th judicial district of Illinois. Backstory on Texas Democrats breaking quorum comes from previous FOX 4 reporting.