Who?
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) — Chair, Senate Commerce Committee*
*just a few weeks ago at the end of July, Chair Cruz was forced to pull a measure from consideration before his Commerce Committee that would place minimal guardrails around the TSA — or Transportation Security Administration — and its expanding use of facial recognition technology.
At the same time, Cruz and other Republican leaders oppose any attempt to limit the use of facial recognition apps, DNA swabs and other new tech surveillance being deployed by masked ICE — Immigration & Customs Enforcement — agents.
LISTEN: Laslo & Cruz
Ask a Pol asks:
Some Democrats, including AOC and her fellow Squad member Rashida Tlaib, worry about surveillance creep.
They fear that once ICE officers normalize facial recognition apps or mandatory DNA swabs those surveillance techniques will become normalized in agencies like the TSA and then deployed against everyday citizens?
Key Cruz:
“ICE is confronting an acute public safety and national security challenge,” Sen. Ted Cruz exclusively told Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo.
Interactive political journalism has arrived.
Stop complaining and Ask a question already!
ICYMI — the other side of the debate…AOC ICE exclusive
Caught our ear:
“ICE, quite reasonably, is using every tool available to try to apprehend dangerous criminals and potential terrorists before they murder or otherwise harm American citizens,” Cruz told us. “That's an effort everyone should want.”
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interviews with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), slightly edited for clarity.
SCENE I: Not even 30 minutes before this interview, Ask a Pol’s Matt Laslo asked Sen. Ted Cruz about it when he was rushing to catch the tailed of a Senate vote.
Matt Laslo: “Do you have any concerns with how ICE is deploying facial recognition technology?”
For a long few seconds Cruz said nothing, before putting a pin in the interview.
Ted Cruz: “That’s a longer conversation.”
ML: “Fair, fair. I’ll look for ya.”
Reporter: “Senator…”
ICYMI — Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo used these ICE interviews in this feature…
TRANSCRIPT: Sen. Ted Cruz (7-30-2025)
SCENE II: Not even 30mins later, Cruz and a couple aides come strolling through the Capitol’s basement as they make their way to the underground trams connecting them to the Senate Office Buildings across the street…
Matt Laslo: “Got a sec on ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and Facial recognition?”
Cruz nods from the escalator he’s descending on.
ML: “I guess Democrats, some of them say they're worried about creep — that ICE will start with this technology and then we'll start seeing it more in spots like the TSA against everyday citizens.”
Cruz signals to keep moving down the platform as underground tram lumbers to a stop.
ML: “Yeah.”
Ted Cruz: “ICE is confronting an acute public safety and national security challenge.”
One of the Senator’s aides waves for him to come to an empty car further down the platform.
Aide: “Sir.”
TC: “After four years of Democrats’ open borders...”
Cruz shakes head no and starts entering a closer tram.
TC: “…we have millions of illegal immigrants, criminals, murderers, gang members and potential terrorists who come into this country.”
Another reporter cuts Laslo off as he positions himself to ask the next question.
ML: “Yeah?”
TC: “And ICE, quite reasonably, is using every tool available to try to apprehend dangerous criminals and potential terrorists…”
Tram bells ding and dong.
Tram AI: “Doors closing.”
TC: “…before they murder or otherwise harm American citizens.”
What should we ask your US Senator?
The trams bell warns its unforgiving robotic doors are starting to roll closed.
ML: “Yeah?”
TC: “That's an effort, everyone should want.”
The tram’s heavy doors slam shut.
ML: “Yup.”
Cruz and Laslo smile at each other through the glass.
ML: “Thank you!”
Laslo to a random colleague: “That’s a nice shirt.”
Laslo turns to the reporter who got between him and Senator Cruz.
ML: “What’d he say at the end? ‘That's an effort everyone should get behind’?”
Reporter: “Huh?”
ML: “Did you hear him at the end?”
Reporter: “No, I didn't I didn't. I…”
ML: “Cool, cool.”
Laslo laughs.
Interactive political journalism has arrived.
Stop complaining and Ask a question already!
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