Fox News Host Says Texas Dems Will Be Sent To Prison In El Salvador If They Refuse To Cave To The GOP's Redistricting Push

Fox News host Jesse Watters said Texas Democratic lawmakers who continue blocking the GOP's push to change congressional districts could end up in El Salvador's mega prisons where Venezuelan migrants were sent earlier in the Trump administration.

Watters made the claim while discussing Governor Greg Abbott's order for the arrest of the lawmakers who left the state to block the effort, through which the GOP is seeking to obtain five additional seats.

"Democrats had until 3 to show and they didn't. So Gov. Abbott is sending out a posse to arrest them for dereliction of duty and drag them back to the Capitol. They told us no one is above the law. And if they resist, they'll wind up in El Salvador with the Maryland dad," Watters claimed.

He was making reference to Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly sent to prison in El Salvador earlier this year and then returned to the U.S. following public outcry, including from Democrats. He is currently detained in Tennessee to face charges of human smuggling. The administration said he will be deported as soon as he is released.

Abbott ordered on Monday the arrest of Democratic lawmakers who left the state to block Republicans' effort to vote on the redistricting push. State House lawmakers passed a motion allowing the Speaker of the House to issue civil warrants for the arrest of those who did not attend the session on Monday.

The order directs the state's Department of Public Safety to "locate, arrest, and return to the House chamber any member who has abandoned their duty to Texans."

Texas' redistricting push is dominating headlines as Democratic counterparts are threatening to engage in similar moves elsewhere in the U.S.

However, Abbott claimed the threats, made by New York and California governors Kathy Hochul and Gavin Newsom, are a "bunch of crazy bluster."

"Democrats are freaking out because they are realizing Texas has the authority to redistrict and we'll do so in a way that's going to lead to these additional seats that will vote Republican and they will be serving in Congress in the next session. Democrats are engaging in rhetoric but I don't think they have the capability of living up to it and doing anything about it," he added.