Texas Democrats who fled the state to postpone a GOP redistricting plan are blasting the recent involvement of the FBI to “hunt us down,” accusing Republicans of amping up rhetoric and putting a “dangerous target” on their backs.

Leading Illinois Democrats and the head of the national Democratic party joined Texas House Democrats this week in a call for a political redistricting fight to expand to a national battle on Tuesday.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas called it a “shameful attempt to thwart the legislative process” when announcing that the FBI will assist in tracking down dozens of Democratic