Medics run rapid COVID-19 tests on a group of at least 25 immigrant asylum seekers who were officially allowed to cross from a migrant camp in Mexico into the United States on Feb. Customs and Border Protection reports documenting an increased number of “encounters” at the U.S.-Mexico border. The source of this “open border” charge, including the hyperbole that “hundreds of thousands” of immigrants are streaming into the country, appears to be monthly U.S. Anthony Fauci directly addressed and unequivocally dismissed this explanation in an interview with CNN on Oct. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 55% of Republicans and 40% of unvaccinated Americans attribute the latest COVID-19 wave to foreigners spreading the virus. More recently, Carlson and other right-wing personalities have used the “open border” claim to pin rising COVID-19 infections on this supposed influx of immigrants, refugees and international tourists. He also pontificated that Democrats are keeping the southern border open because, ultimately, they plan to maintain power by essentially importing a new electorate comprised of unskilled workers and MS-13 gang members - an outlandish accusation he has subsequently repeated without a shred of evidence. population since 1990 - all in the span of one program. housing market, and the 50% increase in the U.S. In mid-September, Carlson claimed on his show that, “Under Joe Biden, hundreds of thousands of immigrants are coming into the United States every single month.” He went on to blame Mexico and Mexicans for the fentanyl deaths of 100,000 American teenagers, the inflated U.S. He went on to blame Mexico and Mexicans for the fentanyl deaths of 100,000 American teenagers, the inflated U.S. A central figure driving this narrative is none other than Tucker Carlson. A coordinated misinformation campaign is afoot, heightening xenophobic anxieties on the right and scapegoating foreigners for many of America’s current problems. Ron DeSantis decried America’s “open borders” at a press conference announcing an executive order he had issued to “protect Floridians from the dangerous impacts of the Biden border crisis.”Ĭlearly my friend was more than mistaken. Then I saw a billboard sponsored by a conservative club near where I live criticizing President Biden for “open borders,” among other things. Misinformation campaignĪt first, I thought my Facebook friend simply must be mistaken. Nevertheless, two significant restrictions for our land borders will remain in place once current restrictions are relaxed: (1) Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated visitors will not be permitted to enter (2) Title 42, which severely limits access to asylum seekers entering from Mexico, will remain in force. “to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings,” starting in November. The Department of Homeland Security just recently announced that fully vaccinated Canadians and Mexicans may enter the U.S. borders, limiting land access to “ essential” traffic only. Since March 2020, the Trump and Biden administrations have consistently extended overland travel restrictions for both the northern and southern U.S. No?” Having just returned to the United States after five years living in Canada, I knew firsthand that the American border was not open - at least not to routine travelers. “Guess the pandemic is over now since we have open borders.

Last month, I was puzzled by a friend’s post that popped up in my Facebook feed.

Closed hands means cheap myth