CHICAGO — The Texas Democrats staying in a Chicago suburb to protest a controversial redistricting map in their state said Wednesday that they are facing threats against their group.
The St. Charles Police Department, which oversees the jurisdiction where they are staying, confirmed a potential bomb threat was made.
“This morning, a threat was made against the safety of the members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred. We are grateful for Governor [JB] Pritzker, local, and state law enforcement for their quick action to ensure our safety,” caucus leadership said in a statement.
The St. Charles Police Department said the threat came in at about 7:15 a.m. Central time.
“St. Charles Police Department responded to a report of a potential bomb threat at the Q-Center hotel and convention complex” in St. Charles, the city’s police department said in a statement, and local police and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad “conducted a thorough search and no device was found.”
“In response to the threat, 400 people were immediately evacuated and the area was secured as bomb squad units conducted their investigation,” police said.
The guests and staff were allowed to return after police gave clearance to do so.
The Texas statehouse Democrats are in Illinois after leaving their state en masse Sunday in an attempt to prevent a quorum in the Texas state Legislature — and thus stop a vote on a controversial Republican-drawn congressional map that would give as many as five more U.S. House seats to the GOP in the 2026 midterms.
The group postponed a planned press conference with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) after reports of the threat.
