Texas law enforcement to track down and arrest missing House Democratic lawmakers

Speaker Dade Phelan's office said the process "will begin in earnest immediately," according to The Texas Tribune.

Law enforcement was reportedly tapped "to assist in the House's efforts to compel a quorum," Phelan spokesperson Enrique Marquez said in an emailed statement to The Texas Tribune.

The lawmaker's absence, which began in July as they attempted to block an election integrity bill from passing in that state during a special session called by Governor Greg Abbott for that purpose, has prevented the chamber from having a quorum, the number of present lawmakers needed to move legislation.

If arrested, the lawmakers will not face criminal charges or fines and could only be brought to the House chamber.

The news comes as the Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked Harris County judges' orders protecting 45 Democrats from the action, mirroring a similar ruling with the Texas Supreme Court and Travis County.

On Thursday, state Representative Gene Wu of Houston said that he and 44 of his colleagues had gained the temporary protection on Wednesday against those warrants should law enforcement track them down from Harris County judges.

"Nobody can detain or drag us back to the House floor against our will," Wu said in a statement. "We will not be willing participants in the silencing of our communities.”

When the House came to order at around 4 pm, news had surfaced that both law enforcement had been deployed and the Supreme Court had halted the Democrats' efforts to block their arrests, "with the court setting an 8am Monday deadline for a response," according to The Texas Tribune.

Over 50 Democrats fled Austin last month to head to Washington, DC, in an attempt to block an election integrity bill during a special session that ended last week.

Earlier this week, Phelan signed arrest warrants for the 52 House Democrats that fled the state.