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 maps drawn by Texas Republicans would create five new Republican-leaning seats before next year's midterm elections.

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.