The warrants apply only within state lines, making them largely symbolic as most of the legislators in question decamped to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts.

The Democrats are standing firm, even as Republican Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to try to have them expelled and GOP lawmakers voted to issue civil arrest warrants.

Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil arrest warrants Monday for the more than 50 Democrats who fled Texas to block a vote on the controversial plan to boost the GOP's numbers in Congress by redistricting.