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.

Republicans are exhausting various law enforcement tools, including the FBI, to try and bring House Democrats back to Texas so the state Legislature can pass a new congressional map as the quorum break surpassed its fourth day Thursday.