'Restraint on her liberty is illegal': Detained Texas Dem blasts GOP in court motion

Attorneys for Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier moved for a court to intervene after the member was detained in the House chamber overnight because she did not agree to around-the-clock monitoring by state troopers.

In a Tuesday motion before the district court in Travis County, the attorneys said they were seeking a writ of habeas corpus because "the restraint on her liberty is illegal."

"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," the filing explained. "Representative Collier has been informed that she is not free to leave the Capitol. Chairman of the Committee on House Administration Charlie Geren informed Representative Collier, 'If you leave the Capitol you are subject to arrest.'"

"The question before the Court is not whether the House's Sergeant-at-Arms can arrest an absent, quorum-breaking member," the document continued. "Rather, the question is whether detention, arrest, and compulsion is permitted for previously-absent, but now present, members."

Attorneys for Collier insisted that the Republican-controlled House had "no such power" to arrest a member who was not absent.

"Thus, the government is without any legal authority to detain members, like Representative Collier, who are physically present. Further, the government is without any legal authority to detain members when a quorum is not needed to conduct business," the attorneys noted.

Collier sought relief, including her immediate release and an order preventing the "Sergeant-at-Arms from restraining Representative Collier in any respect, unless she is physically absent from a current legislative session."