Texas Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said Thursday the FBI has granted his request to assist Texas law enforcement in locating House Democrats who fled the state, setting up a potential confrontation with Illinois Democratic officials who have vowed to protect them.

The chair of the Texas House Democratic caucus remained defiant Thursday in the face of one US senator’s bid to enlist the FBI’s help in returning him and his state House colleagues to the state.

The senator said the agency had agreed to help locate Democratic state legislators who left to try to block a vote on congressional redistricting.