Texas House Democrats have returned to Austin for a second special session after fleeing the state to block a redistricting effort by Republicans in the state.

Texas Democratic lawmakers are returning to the state as a second special legislative session gets underway. The representatives spent two weeks outside Texas to block a vote on new congressional maps backed by President Donald Trump that could shift as many as five seats in the US House of Representatives to Republicans.

A group of Texas House Democrats have been staying in suburban Chicago for nearly two weeks to block Republican plans to redraw the Texas congressional map before next year's midterm election.