Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to jail and expel Texas House Democrats who fled the state to avoid a redistricting vote unless they return by Monday afternoon.

Dozens of Texas Democratic state representatives came to Chicago on Sunday night to block the vote. Shortly after Abbott’s statement, the Texas House Democratic Caucus responded simply: “Come and take it.”

The letter also referred to Republicans’ proposed districts, which might result in five more GOP House seats in next year’s midterm elections, as a “racist mid-decade redistricting scheme.”

Abbott harshly criticized the abrupt departure of the Democrats, initiating his demand for their return with the statement, “Real Texans don’t flee from a battle.”

“Rather than doing their job and voting on urgent legislation affecting the lives of all Texans, they have fled Texas to deprive the House of the quorum necessary to meet and conduct business,” he wrote.

To conduct business, at least 100 of the 150-member Texas House must be present, and about 50 Democrats have left. Abbott stated that their commitment to voting as elected state officials is mandatory and “not optional.”