Congressman Speculates ‘Illegal Aliens’ Could Be To Blame For Measles Outbreak

*There’s so much to lay-out here. First off, Mo Brooks’ ill timed, ill thought statement makes a case for comprehensive immigration reform. If those immigrants he calls “illegal” were documented they’d also have to be screened and immunized – it proves the public health benefit of the reform. The “line” for legalization (and health screening) as it now exists is way too long to make a dent in Mo’s fears. Also, all children, documented or not, must be immunized in order to go to public schools, so his disease conspiracy theory begins to fall apart. Interesting, isn’t it, how ignorance feeds fear. If only there were a vaccine for that. VL

By Molly Reilly, Huffington Post 

Immigration hardliner Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) said Tuesday that “illegal aliens” may be to blame for the recent measles outbreak that began in California and has continued to spread to other states.

In a radio interview highlighted by ThinkProgress, Brooks, a vocal opponent of recent immigration reform attempts, told host Matt Murphy that he believes unvaccinated immigrants could be spreading the respiratory disease.

“I don’t think there is any health care professional who has examined the facts who could honestly say that Americans have not died because the disease is brought into America by illegal aliens who are not properly health care screened, as lawful immigrants are,” Brooks said. “Unfortunately, our kids just aren’t prepared for a lot of the diseases that come in and are borne by illegal aliens.”

Click HERE to read the full story.

[Photo courtesy of Think Progress]

 

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