Just as the Houston Police Department was responding to winter storm-related deaths and pleading for residents to stay home on Wednesday, Sen. Ted Cruz’s staff asked them to help Cruz get to his super important flight to Cancun. “Senator Cruz’s staff contacted HPD personnel on Wednesday afternoon, Feb 17. His staff requested assistance upon the Senator’s arrival at the airport. Upon his arrival at the terminal, we monitored his movement,” the department said in a statement to The Daily Beast. A spokesperson wouldn’t say how many officers were called in to help Cruz, or how long they stayed with him, but said they were “just around.”

After several media outlets confirmed Cruz’s ill-timed vacay on Thursday, sparking widespread outrage, the senator appeared to be planning to return home. An airport spokesperson told The Daily Beast they’re expecting Cruz to arrive back around 4 p.m. on Thursday—meaning Cruz flew to Mexico, amid a raging pandemic, for one day. The spokesman for George Bush Intercontinental Airport said he did not know whether police and Cruz's staff had requested more assistance for his return.