House Minority Whip Steve Scalise highlighted the disconnect Thursday between stringent rules on Americans who attempt to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and conditions at the southern border, where migrants are crossing the border illegally and traveling deeper into the country without being tested.
Mr. Scalise, Louisiana Republican, also held up photos of border facilities where children are packed together with no sign of “social distancing” to be found.
“A restaurant in the United States would be shut down today if [it] were being run like this,” he said at a House hearing on the pandemic response. “Yet the federal government — the Biden administration — is running this facility. You can see all of these young children who are next to each other six inches apart, many without masks, by the way. Does that follow your guidance that you’ve issued?”
“No,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Mr. Scalise also said many illegal immigrants are put on airplanes to U.S. destinations without being checked for the virus, even as citizens are forced to present a negative test before returning to America from a foreign country, including Mexico and Central American countries.
“If you’re an American citizen with the vaccination, you have to — not should — have to get a COVID test saying you’re negative to come back home to America,” he said. “Yet, if you’re coming here illegally, the Homeland Security secretary admitted in a hearing just the other day that they’re not testing people who come here illegally.”
SEE ALSO: Biden officials tell House panel: Greatest risk is COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy
Mr. Scalise said it sends the wrong message as administration officials seek compliance with their rules.
“No doubt, it’s a very difficult situation at the border, Congressman Scalise,” Dr. Fauci said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.