Here’s what happened.
A growing threat to America’s cattle industry is quickly becoming a political battle, with the Trump administration arguing that years of weak border enforcement under former President Joe Biden helped create the conditions for a dangerous livestock parasite to return to the United States.
The concern centers on the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating pest that was eradicated from America decades ago but has now resurfaced, raising fears among ranchers, farmers, and agricultural leaders across the country.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the crisis did not happen by accident.
According to Rollins, the parasite’s steady march northward was fueled by policies that weakened border security and allowed increased movement through regions where the screwworm was spreading.
“The threat didn’t appear overnight,” Rollins said. “It was the direct result of the Biden-Harris administration’s weak foreign policy agenda and failed immigration policies.”
As officials scramble to contain the outbreak, the stakes are growing higher. America’s beef industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and plays a critical role in keeping food prices stable for families already struggling with inflation.
For ranchers across Texas and the Southwest, the return of the screwworm is more than just an agricultural problem. It is a potential economic threat that could impact cattle production, beef prices, and the broader food supply chain.
Now, Republicans and Democrats are offering very different explanations for how the United States found itself facing a threat many believed had been defeated generations ago.
