By Lauren Burke

After being told by Republicans who control the Texas House that she would not be permitted to leave the Texas State House after she refused to sign a “permission slip” for her freedom, Rep. Nicole Collier filed a writ of habeas corpus late on August 19.

A standard writ of habeas corpus is a court order that directs an individual “in custody” to bring that person before the court and determine if their detention is lawful or unlawful. Though many Democrats in the Texas House signed the makeshift “permission slip” form to depart the Texas House Chamber on August 18, Rep. Collier refused. Yesterday, several members tore up the slip they had signed and joined with Rep. Collier.

“A member may be compelled by the Sergeant-at-Arms to attend a legislative session if he or she is physically absent, but no such power is conferred on the Legislature to arrest or otherwise compel a member who is currently present (and not absent) to stay,” Rep. Collier’s lawsuit reads in part. “Representative Collier is under restraint by virtue of the Speaker of the House’s order placing her into the custody of law enforcement prior to the Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Session,” her legal filing also asserted.

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Rep. Collier represents Fort Worth, Texas, and was one of at least 45 Texas Democrats who left Texas on August 3 to delay Texas Republicans from enacting new congressional maps after President Trump requested they do so to win the 2026 congressional midterms. The new proposed maps would likely mean the end of the congressional careers of five Democrats, including three members of the Congressional Black Caucus.  The writ of habeas corpus was filed by Rep. Collier’s attorney in the district court of Travis County late on August 20. Rep. Collier is asserting that House Texas Republicans unlawfully held her against her will and detained her in the Texas State Capitol Building when she refused to sign a makeshift “permission slip” to leave and agree to 24-hour law enforcement surveillance.

The GOP’s request for her and other members of the Texas House to sign was a strange and unprecedented move by Republicans who have long held power in the chamber. Rep. Collier and colleagues were escorted to the Texas House chamber by law enforcement unless they signed a statement. Only Black State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth declared that she would sleep on the Texas House floor until September 1st, Labor Day, if it was necessary, rather than sign the “permission slip” to leave. On Monday, August 18, Rep. Collier began working from the Texas House Chamber and put up a 24-hour live feed of her view of the large ornate room. Rep. Collier refused to agree to the GOP’s demand, led by Republican Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, to sign what amounted to a contract for her freedom.

The moment marks an unheard-of level of partisanship witnessed at any statehouse in the modern political era.

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