Fact vs. Fiction: Immigrants, Foot and Mouth Disease, and U.S. Agriculture

Claim

A social media post claims that the influx of immigrants into the U.S. has led to the return of foot and mouth disease, a livestock ailment eradicated in 1929. The post alleges that “17 million unvaxxed and unemployed” immigrants are responsible for bringing various diseases, including foot and mouth disease, back to the U.S.

Reasoning

This claim is incorrect for several reasons. Firstly, the number of immigrants alleged to have entered the U.S. is greatly exaggerated. Official data through January 2024 shows about 8.8 million encounters at U.S. borders since February 2021, with roughly 2.3 million people released into the U.S. at the southern border. This figure also includes multiple encounters of the same individuals, not unique entries.

Secondly, there have been no reported cases of foot and mouth disease in U.S. livestock since 1929. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and experts confirm the absence of the disease within the country. APHIS conducts thorough investigations into foreign animal diseases and works alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection to prevent the entry of diseases through stringent regulations and inspections at border crossings.

Furthermore, foot and mouth disease affects livestock and is not considered a public health or food safety threat to humans. Measures are in place to prevent its entry into the U.S., including the inspection of imports and the enforcement of agricultural product regulations. The confusion may also stem from the similarly named but unrelated hand, foot, and mouth disease, a common viral illness in children, which is already prevalent in the U.S. and unrelated to immigration.

Fact or Fiction?

Fiction. The claim that “17 million immigrants” have reintroduced foot and mouth disease into the U.S. is false. Official data and expert statements refute the exaggerated number of immigrants and confirm the continued eradication of foot and mouth disease in the U.S. since 1929. The confusion with hand, foot, and mouth disease, a different illness entirely, further undermines the claim’s validity.

Source: Politifact