Hundreds of people, including politicians, were evacuated from a hotel and conference center in St. Charles after a bomb threat Wednesday morning, police said.
St. Charles police responded to reports of a potential bomb threat at the Q Center, at 1405 N. Fifth Ave. around 7:15 a.m., the department said in a statement.
Around 400 people were evacuated from the building, and the Kane County sheriff’s office and St. Charles police conducted a thorough search and found nothing, the statement said. The scene was cleared, and guests and staff returned to the property.
Texas Democrats are staying in Illinois to deny Republicans a quorum to vote on a controversial redistricting. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers took refuge in the state earlier this week in hopes of dashing GOP plans to approve a Republican-friendly legislative map in Texas, opening the door for President Donald Trump’s agenda to move through the legislature more easily.
The heavily Republican Texas House of Representatives issued civil arrest warrants for absent Democrats, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered state troopers to search for them and arrest them, but lawmakers outside the state are beyond its jurisdiction. The Democrats who have left the state face fines of up to $500 per day.
“I absolutely cannot allow for the people in my area and across Texas to lose their voice and their vote, and so I’m just willing to do whatever it takes,” Texas state Rep. Aicha Davis said upon arriving in Illinois, adding that the redistricting would wipe out two majority-Black districts.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker welcomed the Texas Democrats Sunday. He and other Democratic governors, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, have said they’re prepared to retaliate by redistricting their own states’ maps to favor Democrats.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu, Mexican American Legislative Caucus Chair Rep. Ramón Romero, and Texas Legislative Black Caucus Chair Rep. Barbara Gervin Hawkins released a statement thanking Pritzker and local authorities for their response to the threats.
“This morning, a threat was made against the safety of the members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus. We are safe, we are secure, and we are undeterred and unintimidated,” the Democrats said in the statement.
Pritzker said he was aware of the threat in a post on X.
“Threats of violence will be investigated, and those responsible will be held accountable,” he wrote.
I am aware of reports that threats were made against Texas elected officials in our state.
— Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) August 6, 2025
Threats of violence will be investigated and those responsible will be held accountable.
I have instructed @ILStatePolice to ensure we maintain public safety.
Illinois State Police confirmed the threats and said it is working with local law enforcement and screening for public safety threats.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who was scheduled to appear at an event with Texas Democrats in St. Charles, didn’t respond to requests for comment. The Q Center couldn’t be reached for comment.
Anyone with information should call the St. Charles Police Department at 630-377-4435.