Most Immigrants are Tested for COVID

Misbar found that as many as 100 asylum-seekers are being released in Brownsville, Texas each day, but they are tested for coronavirus in Mexico by the United Nations and again once they arrive in Brownsville, according to kxan.com. The asylum seekers, who were previously waiting in Mexico under the Trump administration’s “remain in Mexico” policy, cannot enter the United States without a negative coronavirus test.

However, according to Newsweek, whether migrants are tested for COVID-19 depends on their immigration category. While individuals waiting for immigration proceedings are tested, border patrol agents do not test those who they apprehend trying to cross illegally into the U.S. However, according to BorderReport.com: “Adult migrants traveling with children who were apprehended illegally crossing the Rio Grande into South Texas were being released by U.S. Border Patrol agents at the bus station in downtown McAllen. After release, city officials are immediately taking the migrants across the street to the Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley’s Humanitarian Respite Center, where they are receiving a free COVID-19 test. Once cleared by the tests, the migrants are boarding buses bound for cities elsewhere.”

According to CNN.com, this is a story that is unfolding, with an increase in people expected to try to cross the U.S. border in the weeks and months ahead. There is presently conflict being negotiated between the state of Texas and the federal government about who should pay for COVID-19 testing: “DHS has already set plans in motion to use Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to support community efforts to test, isolate and quarantine migrants released from Border Patrol custody” an official told CNN. “But the grant money needs to be approved by the state before it can be distributed to border communities.”