Migrants who cross the border are immediately required to wear masks. Although they are not tested at Customs and Border Patrol unless they show symptoms, all are tested if they move into the system, and those who test positive for coronavirus are quarantined. Due to the pandemic, most are simply turned away. On humanitarian grounds, unaccompanied minors and some vulnerable families are admitted with these restrictions — masks, testing, quarantine.
Those slated for deportation are quarantined before they are deported. While infection rates are climbing, because of both the Delta variant and the crowding at Border Patrol, immigrants test positive at a lower rate than the rate of non-immigrants around them. Because, after all, Texas and Arizona are states infected with the Republican/Fox lies about COVID.
And yet, Republicans are using the deadly new coronavirus variant to stoke anti-immigrant fires. Just as fascists have often misdirected anger and fear toward vulnerable populations to distract from their own failures to govern and to undermine legitimate governments.
It is cynical, it is deadly… and it takes us one more step toward authoritarianism.
Read more: August 8, 2021, Heather Cox Richardson
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