Ted Cruz wants security escort and private screening for politicians at airports, claiming they face 'serious threats' while boarding flights with general public

• Cruz is seeking a separate security lane out of public view for political VIPs at America’s airports 
• Senator’s faced heavy criticism after being photographed at Houston airport jetting off to Cancun during the state’s deadly snow storm in February 2021 
• Cruz’s proposed bill amendment has been slammed  by the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network

Ted Cruz wants politicians to have a private security screening and escort through US airports to combat ‘serious security threats facing public officials.’

The Texan, who hit the headlines for jetting off to Cancun in 2021 during a record snow storm and had cops called on him at Montana airport in 2022, is proposing a bill amendment that would keep politicians separate from the public in airports.

The political VIPs would receive a dedicated security escort at airports, along with expedited screening outside of public view.

Cruz was spotted three years ago by a fellow holidaymaker wheeling through Houston airport as his state grappled with a state of emergency, with the power failing for millions, and people left freezing in the subzero temperatures.

The Republican’s new bill would make it a lot less likely any such picture of a politician’s secret travel plans would emerge again.

Cruz is attempting to attach the amendment to a major aviation policy bill, S. 1939, expected to be marked up in the Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday.

The new amendment calls for the TSA to ‘arrange’ a security escort for politicians for ‘the entirety of the time’ they are at the airport according to a draft seen by Politico.

The TSA could use local law enforcement to carry out the escort under the terms of the bill.

Federal judges, Cabinet members and their family and staff would also be welcomed into the private lane.

There are ‘serious security threats facing public officials,’ Cruz told Politico.

‘It’s important that we take reasonable measures to keep everyone safe.’

Kevin Murphy, executive director of the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network told Politico the proposal would divert police from ‘crime suppression and security functions at airports, which is our fundamental duty.’

It would be ‘a burden to airport police agencies,’ Murphy added, suggesting that instead escorts for VIPs should be the job of federal law enforcement.

Annie Russo, the chief and congressional strategy officer for Airports Council International-North America, told Politico the new bill would ad another burden to airports.

‘We look forward to continuing to work with Senator Cruz to address his concerns,’ she said.

The TSA spends about $800 million a year on air marshals with almost half of them on standby for flights by Congress members, leading the Air Marshals National Council to declare the program a  ‘concierge service’ for politicians.

Cruz ignited criticism for his Mexico holiday in February 2021 after he, his wife Heidi and their daughters Caroline and Cathryn were seen boarding a United Airlines flight out of Houston while millions of Texans struggled on without heat or water for the fourth day in a row.

The political VIPs would receive a dedicated security escort at airports, along with expedited screening outside of public view

Pictures of him emerged online and the flight’s manifest also revealed that he was on standby for an upgrade to business class.

He landed on a Wednesday and went straight to The Ritz Carlton – where rooms can be up to $400 a night – without giving any kind of public comment about the trip.

But as outrage erupted the next day the Senator changed his return flight – which had been scheduled for Saturday – to Thursday.

He then showed up at the airport in Cancun and tried to defend the entire exercise, claiming he was just dropping off his kids because he is a ‘good dad’ but was returning home to help solve the energy crisis.

In a statement, he said: ‘This has been an infuriating week for Texans. Like millions of Texans, our family lost heat and power too. With school canceled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends. Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon.’

Cruz claimed that the girls asked him ‘yesterday’ if they could go away, and he and Heidi ‘agreed’. Within hours they were all on the plane.

Temperatures plummeted to as low as -2F in Texas that week as snow and ice blanketed much of the state but it was 85 F and sunny in Cancun all week by contrast.

Cruz was slammed for both the trip and for seeming to blame it on his kids once people started criticizing him for it.

The following year the Senator got into a confrontation with employees of a Montana airport which grew so heated that law enforcement had to get involved.

Cruz speaks to the media at the Cancun International Airport before boarding his plane back to the U.S., in Cancun, Mexico February 18, 2021

Cruz vigorously nodded his head in visible annoyance at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in March 2022 after he missed his flight

Cruz was spotted at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport shortly after noon on a Sunday in March 2022, apparently irritated by missing his flight, according to a witness who shared a short clip.

The 23-second video, which appears to be taken from behind the employee desk of the main airport foyer, shows Cruz vigorously nodding his head in visible annoyance. His mouth is covered by a mask that says ‘Come and take it’ in reference to the Second Amendment.

Bozeman airport deputy director Scott Humphrey confirmed to DailyMail.com that a ‘frustrated’ Cruz had missed the check-in window for his flight, and that re-booking options were ‘limited out of Bozeman due to Spring Break.’

‘One of our Public Safety Officers (PSO) was in the ticket lobby and was asked to assist with a frustrated passenger at the United ticket counter (which is not unusual). The passenger had missed the check-in window for his flight and re-booking options were limited out of Bozeman due to Spring Break,’ Humphrey said.

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