The FBI has granted Sen. John Cornyn’s (R-Texas) request for help tracking down the dozens of House Democrats who fled the state, most of whom are hiding out in Illinois – a state that prides itself for protecting lawbreakers from federal authorities.

On Sunday, the Texas Democrats left the state in order to prevent House Republicans from having the quorum necessary to pass redistricting legislation that could provide the GOP with additional Congressional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On Tuesday, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter asking the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate potential criminal acts, including bribery, and hold accountable legislators who have fled the state in an attempt to stall the legislative process in the Texas House of Representatives:

“I request the FBI’s assistance, as federal resources are necessary to locate the out-of-state Texas legislators who are potentially acting in violation of the law. The FBI has tools to aid state law enforcement when parties cross state lines, including to avoid testifying or fleeing a scene of a crime.”

President Donald Trump agreed with Cornyn on Tuesday, acknowledging that the FBI “may have to” get involved, when asked about the Texas Republican’s request.

The bureau of the federal government may face roadblocks in Illinois, however, as The New York Times noted Thursday:

“The activation of federal agents could create a standoff between the Trump administration and state leaders in Illinois, where many of the absent Democrats have taken refuge.”

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“[Democrat] Gov. JB Pritzker has scoffed at the idea that federal agents could be deployed against the Texas lawmakers present in his state. ‘They’re grandstanding,’ Mr. Pritzker said on Wednesday, a day after Mr. Cornyn first proposed federal involvement.”

Indeed, the state of Illinois and city of Chicago, where the majority of Texas Democrats are holed up, are both self-described “sanctuaries” for people who are illegally in the U.S., a sign they may provide the same protection for Texas Democrats.

Sanctuary cities and states actively obstruct, and refuse to cooperate with, federal authorities attempting to enforce federal immigration laws.

While Gov. Pritzker claims that “There literally is no federal law applicable to this situation, none they can say that they’re sending F.B.I.," Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) notes that, if state felonies are involved, Texas has the right to extradite suspects.

“Bribery in Texas is a felony. Felony is type of offense that we can issue papers to have these Democrats brought back,” Gov. Abbott has explained, citing reports that the fugitive Democrats are being reimbursed by supporters for the fines they incur by remaining off the job.

The Texas House has issued civil warrants for the arrest of the Democrats who left the state in order to shirk their duties and obstruct Republican lawmakers from fulfilling their responsibility to conduct business.