Measles outbreak: Republican blames immigrants 'bringing these diseases into our country'
A house Republican has caused controversy after claiming immigrants are responsible for a recent measles outbreak
A measles outbreak in West Texas - responsible for infecting 500 people - was blamed by a prominent politician on immigrants who he said, "are bringing diseases into our country.”
Rep. Ryan McKenzie (R-PA) accused immigrants of causing the measles outbreaks. He said they were responsible for bringing diseases into the United States. This comes after a map showed the parts of the US that are the worst impacted by the ongoing measles outbreak.
The outbreak in Texas has seen a Mennonite community hit especially hard after three people died from measles-related diseases including two school-aged children. All three victims were reportedly unvaccinated against the disease and several other states have announced smaller outbreaks of the disease.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the secretary of Health and Human Services who is generally an anti-vaxxer, visited the community - according to CBS News. Mackenzie stated his controversial viewpoint while speaking during a CNN town hall.
He said: “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. There is a reason why measles has sparked a threat in our country after decades of being almost eradicated, as I pointed out. And so I think we need recognize that."
At the Town Hall event, co-moderator Jake Tapper asked McKenzie about the outbreak.
“Congressman Mackenzie, as you likely know, there are nearly 600 verified cases of measles – probably many, many more in actuality – linked to this outbreak that began in Texas,” Tapper said. “And two children have died. And measles, you know, it was ended in the United States 25 years ago, but now it’s back and it’s killing kids. There are a lot of public health officials, regardless of party, who have serious concerns about Secretary Kennedy. Do you?”
“So, as a father of a one-year-old who is going through his vaccine regimen right now, that is something that I’m choosing for my son. We are getting him vaccinated just like I was vaccinated,” McKenzie replied.
“In the case of the measles vaccine, that’s something that’s been long established. And I think we have a fairly good track record of evidence to prove that that is safe and effective. So I would encourage others – if that is their choice – to actually go out and do that.”
The co-moderator of the event, Jake Tapper, asked Mackenzie about the outbreak and if he has concerns about Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Mackenzie responded that he was vaccinating his son against measles, and said the vaccine was “something that’s been long established, and I think we have a fairly good track record of evidence to prove that that is safe and effective.”
RFK Jr. has recently caused controversy by saying that things were "better" when everyone got measles, as his list of controversies continues to grow.