Republican Points Finger at Illegal Immigration for Measles Outbreak

A Republican lawmaker has attributed the growing measles outbreak centered in Texas to illegal immigrants bringing diseases into the country.

Representative Ryan Mackenzie of Pennsylvania said in a CNN town hall on Thursday that immigrants with no legal status in the U.S. were “bringing these diseases into our country.”

When asked to expand upon the comment, Mackenzie cited UN statistics showing that child immunization rates in Latin America and the Caribbean have plummeted.

“Large-scale migration from countries with low rates of immunization brings down our own nation’s average rates and increases our susceptibility to outbreaks,” Mackenzie said in a statement to Newsweek.

“It is common sense for Americans to have concerns regarding the public health consequences of unchecked migration from regions struggling to immunize their populations against diseases, especially measles.”

Why It Matters

The outbreak of measles in Texas has grown steadily since January, with 505 confirmed cases across 10 counties and additional spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Mexico. Three unvaccinated individuals—two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico—have died from measles-related illnesses this year.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can be deadly, and was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, meaning there was no continuous transmission of the virus within the country. However, recent years have seen a resurgence in cases and outbreaks.

Many have attributed this to declining vaccination rates due to anti-vaccine sentiment in the U.S. Mackenzie has suggested the outbreak could be traced to the same anti-vaccine sentiment — but coming from Latin America, where one in four children are missing vital vaccines, according to a 2023 UN report.

What To Know

During the CNN event moderated by Jake Tapper, which brought together two Democratic and two Republican members of Congress, MacKenzie responded to a question about whether he was concerned about Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, in light of the outbreak, given his well-known anti-vaccine sentiment.

MacKenzie said that he would “encourage others—if that is their choice—to actually go out” and get themselves vaccinated. He also shared that he vaccinates his own child, as well as himself.

“In the case of the measles vaccine, that’s something that’s been long established,” Mackenzie said, “And I think we have a fairly good track record of evidence to prove that is safe and effective.”

He then turned the direction of the conversation toward immigration: “First of all, many of these instances that are coming into our country are from illegal immigrants who have crossed the border with no checks, no actual health records, and they are bringing these diseases into our country.”

He also praised Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which promotes ideas such as eliminating fluoride from drinking water and investigating discredited theories linking vaccines to autism.

While he has been known to be skeptical of vaccines, Kennedy acknowledged the efficacy of the MMR vaccine on social media Sunday, calling it “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles.”

What People Are Saying

Pennsylvania Representative Ryan MacKenzie, in a statement to Newsweek: “While we are still awaiting details regarding the possible origins of the recent Texas outbreak, we know that there have been cases of measles stemming from the open borders policies of the Biden Administration…As health professionals work to contain this outbreak, policymakers should support efforts to improve public health and safety, including by continuing to strengthen our borders.”

Referring to one fatal case, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican and a liver doctor, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday: “Not publicly known if the child was vaccinated, but almost certainly not. Everyone should be vaccinated! There is no treatment for measles. No benefit to getting measles. Top health officials should say so unequivocally b/4 another child dies.”

Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett said: “It has taken Texas’ largest measles outbreak in 30 years with more than 500 confirmed cases and the deaths of two children for the secretary of health and human services to say what we already knew. The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the vaccine.”

Texas Democratic Representative Joaquin Castro wrote in a post on X: “Despite a second child death in Texas, Governor Abbott has not said a word. Vaccine clinics in San Antonio have to close because of Republican funding cuts while we are experiencing the worst measles outbreak in decades. Lives are at stake—vaccines are needed to combat this outbreak.”

Texas Department of State Health Services wrote in a March update on the outbreak: “Due to the highly contagious nature of this disease, additional cases are likely to occur in the outbreak area and the surrounding communities. DSHS is working with local health departments to investigate the outbreak.”

What Happens Next

The CDC is expected to scale up support efforts in Texas and reassess its local presence in response to the growing number of hospitalizations. As of this week, 57 people have been hospitalized. Experts warn the outbreak may last several more months if not contained swiftly.