U.S. studies vaccinating migrants crossing the border from Mexico

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The U.S. government is considering vaccinating some of the migrants who irregularly cross the southern border from Mexico, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The measure would only affect migrants who are temporarily in the custody of U.S. authorities and not those who are immediately deported under Title 42 regulations, which use the health emergency as justification for this measure.

The Washington Post, citing two Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources, detailed that the government plans to vaccinate migrants released in the United States and those awaiting deportation.

The government plans to administer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to undocumented immigrants, as it only requires one dose.

The arrival of immigrants at the southern border of the United States is at historic highs, and in July, more than 210,000 crossed, a record of the last two decades in a single month.

The governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, and part of the opposition have blamed Biden’s immigration management for being responsible for the new wave of contagions of the coronavirus, which is especially affecting that southern state.

DHS Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Border Protection David Shahoulian told the Post that “the rates at which non-citizens found positive for covid-19 have increased significantly in recent weeks.” In parallel, infection rates among border agents have also increased.

According to official data, the Border Patrol has about 10,000 migrants in its custody.