The Senate Commerce Committee erupted into a heated debate on Wednesday as Senator Ted Cruz pushed to subpoena documents from the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) regarding its handling of migrants at Boston Logan Airport. The meeting, which was marked by sharp exchanges, signaled the growing tensions under Cruz’s leadership.
Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell criticized the move, arguing that bipartisan cooperation on subpoenas had been the committee’s tradition. She pointed out that Massport had already promised to provide written responses by March 10, making a subpoena premature. Massport spokesperson Jennifer Mehigan reaffirmed that no families had stayed at the airport since Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey prohibited the practice.
However, Cruz remained unsatisfied, accusing Massport of violating federal grant requirements and asserting that the Senate had been lax in oversight. He vowed to push forward with the subpoena, despite the hearing ending without a vote due to a lack of quorum. Democrats declined to resume proceedings in the afternoon, preventing further action for the time being.
Cruz also hinted at expanding his subpoena power as committee chair, a move that has raised concerns among both Republicans and the White House. His push for unilateral authority could significantly shift committee precedent, particularly as he seeks to investigate tech companies and other organizations.
During the hearing, Cruz and Democratic Senator Ed Markey clashed, with Markey calling the subpoena effort a “fishing expedition.” Cruz fired back, arguing that the public deserved to know if “violent criminal illegal aliens” posed a threat at the airport. The committee did, however, approve Markey’s amendment to investigate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to send asylum-seekers from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard.
Cruz also announced he was canceling separate votes on subpoenas for the online platform Bonterra and the consulting firm Newpoint Strategies, stating they had already complied with information requests.
The clash over Massport reflects the broader partisan battle over immigration, with Cruz positioning himself as a hardliner on enforcement and oversight. With tensions running high, further confrontations seem likely as he continues his push for stricter investigations.