Nicole Collier spent two nights trapped inside the Texas Capitol because she refused to agree to being watched by police 24 hours a day. She was not allowed to leave the building unless she signed a paper saying she would accept constant surveillance, but she refused to do so.
On Tuesday, former Vice President Kamala Harris spoke out in support of Collier. Harris said that Collier’s actions showed courage and that history would one day remember her as a hero for standing up against the Republican plan. In a video shared by Texas House Democrats, Harris encouraged Collier to stay strong, telling her that her determination and principles were inspiring.
Collier said she felt overwhelmed and grateful that Harris was paying attention to what was happening in Texas. She explained that this attention showed their efforts were making a real impact. She urged people to stay motivated, get ready to act, and vote.
Earlier this month, Collier was one of 50 Democratic lawmakers who left Texas on August 3 to stop Republicans from passing a new congressional map that former President Donald Trump supported. The proposed map would give Republicans five more districts that favored their party before the 2026 midterm elections.
Most of the Democrats returned to Texas on Monday, but when they did, Republicans retaliated quickly. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered every Democratic legislator to sign a form agreeing to constant police escort to ensure they attended votes on the new map. Collier refused, and as a result, she was confined to the House floor with armed guards and allowed only to go between there and her office. She has now filed a legal challenge, saying this amounts to unlawful imprisonment.
Several other Democrats joined her protest in the Capitol, including Gene Wu, Vince Perez, Penny Morales Shaw, and Mihaela Plesa, who publicly ripped up her “permission slip” in front of cameras. Morales Shaw admitted she regretted signing the agreement at first and said Collier had been right all along — they should never have gone along with the Republicans’ orders.
A vote on the redistricting plan is set to take place on Wednesday, and it is widely expected to pass, giving Trump the result he wanted. Meanwhile, the situation in Texas has sparked wider political moves, with California Governor Gavin Newsom announcing a ballot initiative that would allow early congressional redistricting in his state if Texas proceeds with its plan.
