Ted Cruz’s wife and children back in US after controversial Mexico trip

They travelled to Cancun on Wednesday as millions were without power in Texas amid Winter Storm Uri

The wife and children of Texas senator Ted Cruz are back in the US after causing controversy by travelling to Mexico while millions of the state’s residents were without power and clean water.

Pictures obtained by the New York Post showed the senator’s wife Heidi Cruz, 48, and the couple’s children, Catherine and Caroline, at Cancun’s airport on Saturday afternoon, before dragging suitcases through a Houston, Texas, airport later in the day.

Mr Cruz’s family stayed at a Ritz Carlton resort costing around $300 (£214) a night in Cancun from Wednesday until Saturday, and were pictured without face masks as they lounged on sun beds in the Mexican sun.

Although guests at resorts in Cancun have their temperatures checked upon arrival, they are not required to wear face masks on hotel grounds, except when they use the buffet.

The holiday caused outrage in Texas, after Mr Cruz was pictured flying to the warm Cancun on Wednesday, while millions of Texans were struggling amid Winter Storm Uri, which caused mass power outages and water shortages along with freezing conditions.

The historic winter storm caused pipelines to freeze in the state, leading to many residents having no electricity and no access to clean water for multiple days.

Millions of Texans are still struggling to access clean water due to the cold conditions as of Sunday, as President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for the state on Saturday and suggested he may travel there next week.

Mr Cruz’s family are now expected to quarantine for the next 7-10 days, as the elite St John’s private school in Houston that his children attend require those who have travelled internationally to do so.

A spokesman for Mr Cruz told Politico on Saturday that the senator’s “daughters plan to follow the St John’s policy.”

Although he has not apologised, Mr Cruz acknowledged late last week that he understood why people were “upset” and said that the trip “was obviously a mistake and in hindsight I wouldn’t have done it.”

He insisted that was only travelling with his family and always intended to come back the next day to support the millions of Texas residents affected by the storm.

However, purported text messages sent by Ms Cruz painted a different picture from the one offered by her husband.

In the texts obtained by The New York Times, Ms Cruz reportedly told neighbours on a group thread on Wednesday that her home was “FREEZING” as she invited them to join the Cruz family on a trip to Cancun, adding that they had stayed there “many times”.

The Independent has contacted Mr Cruz’s office for comment.