Mo Brooks, Ben Carson Share False Narrative On Measles Outbreak

The following post first appeared on FactCheck.org. Rep. Mo Brooks and potential presidential hopeful Ben Carson both suggested a connection between illegal immigration and the spread of diseases such as measles in the United States. Though it is often difficult to pinpoint precise origins of disease outbreaks, there is no evidence supporting a link between the recent outbreaks and illegal immigration. Brooks, a Republican from Alabama, was asked about the current measles outbreak in an interview with radio host Matt Murphy (at the 14:24 mark). The congressman said the immunization practices in the home countries of immigrants who are living in the U.S. illegally could be responsible for outbreaks. Brooks, Feb. 3: 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 diseases brought into America by illegal aliens who are not properly health care screened, as lawful immigrants are. It might be the enterovirus that has a heavy presence in Central and South America that has caused deaths of American children over the past six to nine months, it might be this measles outbreak — there are any number of things. … [U]nfortunately our kids just aren’t prepared for a lot of the diseases that come in and are borne by illegal aliens. You have to have sympathy for the plight of the illegal aliens, I think we all understand that. But they have not been blessed with — in their home countrie...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news