Gov. JB Pritzker vowed on late-night television to protect Texas House Democrats who fled to Illinois to try and stop the Republican-controlled state legislature from redrawing congressional district boundaries to the GOP’s advantage ahead of next year’s midterm election.

“As long as they’re in Illinois, they’re safe,” Pritzker said when “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert asked about a request from Texas’ senior U.S. senator earlier in the day that the FBI assist in tracking down and apprehending the dozens of Democrats who left for Illinois and other states.

“The only thing that’s happened is a civil warrant was issued by the Republican speaker of the House in Texas, right?” Pritzker said. “And a civil warrant isn’t worth anything in the state of Illinois.”

Safety concerns arose

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