Illegal immigrants' COVID-19 rate twice that of U.S. population
Congressman: 'U.S. citizens being exposed to infectious disease threats'
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
The rate of coronavirus cases has plummeted in the U.S., but on the border, illegal immigrants are pouring across with elevated rates of infections, and some of them are still being released directly into communities, a congressman revealed Wednesday.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, Texas Democrat, said officials in Laredo are seeing a 6% COVID-positive rate among the migrants being shipped to them from the border deeper in Texas. That’s double the rate of the broader U.S. population.
And Mr. Cuellar said the number of migrants has grown so large that Laredo’s nonprofits aren’t able to handle all the people the Border Patrol is shipping for testing and quarantine. Some migrants are being released directly to bus stations, where they mingle with the population as they head deeper into the country.
“When the shelters are full, because there are only two shelters in Laredo, Border Patrol is unloading them directly at bus stations or at the airport. As I mentioned, every time I fly from Laredo to D.C. to do my work I see folks there,” the lawmaker said.
“This is not my words, this is the health directors of Laredo. They’re worried about U.S. citizens being exposed to infectious disease threats,” Mr. Cuellar said.
https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/may/26/illegal-immigrants-covid-19-rate-twice-us-populati/
