Promises of Amnesty Endanger Public Health

The promises of amnesty for illegal aliens that were such an important part of the Joe Biden presidential campaign, plus the series of Executive Orders issued since Biden’s inauguration, are fueling a new rush to the border from the south. That rush, coming from some of the areas of the world hardest hit by the Wuhan virus pandemic, is endangering the health of Americans.

Each day about 4,500 illegal immigrants cross from Mexico into the U.S., with perhaps 1,000 being soon returned in accord with the CDC’s Title 42 Covid-19 policy. That policy, which requires a physical and a mental examination of anyone wishing to immigrate to the United States, predates the pandemic but is more important now than ever, since it permits prompt removal of aliens testing Covid-positive. Unfortunately, the protocols do not now seem to be consistently enforced and, making matters worse, the Mexican government has reportedly stopped accepting expelled persons along some areas of the border.

Understandably, Mexico is most likely not keen on accepting infected migrants of which it might have thought itself rid. One can hardly blame it, as the country to our south has the third highest Covid death rate in the world. Testing is rare, but of those tested, 40 to 50 percent are testing positive. Contrast that with the U.S.’s national positivity rate of 9.7 percent.

By reducing border security, stopping deportations, promising legalization, and effectively re-instating Catch and Release, the Biden administration is unconscionably encouraging  illegal immigration from some of the most disease-ridden countries in the world. Since the pandemic began, Customs and Border Protection has registered more than 6,708 positive cases among asylum seekers, and 23 of its officers have died in the line of duty.

Opening one’s borders at any time is questionable. Opening them during a pandemic is madness.

For more, see the Heritage Foundation website.