Ted grew up in Texas. His father, Rafael, fled Cuba after being tortured and imprisoned and came to Texas with just $100 sewn into his underwear. Rafael got a job washing dishes making 50 cents an hour and learned English. He worked hard and attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning a degree in mathematics. He later started a small business in the oil and gas industry. Today, Rafael is a pastor in Dallas.
Sen. Cruz believes that our broken immigration system needs to be fixed by Congress and has long called to secure the Texas-Mexico border. He has introduced legislation to build the wall on the southern border, support CBP and ICE agents working to protect Texas’ communities, keep immigrant families together, and handle asylum cases promptly so that we can end the tragic crisis on the border.