Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said on Thursday that FBI Director Kash Patel has granted his request for the federal government to assist with locating Texas House Democrats who fled the state in protest of GOP-led redistricting efforts.

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.

Texas Democratic lawmakers remained out of the state Thursday as Republican leaders escalated legal threats to force their return, with Gov. Greg Abbott petitioning the Texas Supreme Court to remove at least on legislator from office and the FBI now involved in locating the absent lawmakers.