Rep. Ryan Mackenzie faced an outcry after claiming on CNN’s Town Hall that undocumented immigrants were to blame for the measles outbreaks in the United States.
Asked by moderator Jake Tapper about the spread of the disease and whether he had any concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Pennsylvania Republican backed the health and human services secretary’s Make America Healthy Again campaign.
But Mackenzie had his own theory for the origin of the 600 verified cases of measles in West Texas, with three related deaths, including two elementary school-age children.
Rep. Mackenzie on measles outbreak: Many of these instances that are coming into our country are from illegal immigrants who have crossed the border and they are bringing these diseases into our country. There is a reason why measles has started to spread in our country pic.twitter.com/8JMjyo25Mx
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 11, 2025
“First of all, many of these instances that are coming into our country are from illegal immigrants who have crossed the border with no checks, no actual health records, and they are bringing these diseases into our country,” the Pennsylvania congressman said.
“There is a reason why measles has started to spread in our country after decades of being almost eradicated, as you pointed out. And so I think we need to recognize that point,” he added.
Mackenzie’s comments led to a backlash online, with social media users refuting his claim.
“There you go blaming illegal immigrants for the US measles outbreak. Just like when the US barred entry of immigrants because of COVID-19, though the US had the worst infection rate. Like blocking gray water coming into a sewer,” wrote Larry Boorstein on X.
There you go blaming illegal immigrants for the US measles outbreak. Just like when the US barred entry of immigrants because of COVID-19, though the US had the worst infection rate. Like blocking gray water coming into a sewer.
— Laurence (Larry) Boorstein (@LarryBoorstein) April 11, 2025
“Everything is marginalized people’s fault… the textbook white male GOP playbook,” wrote Lib Dunk.
“People not being vaccinated is the reason measles is spreading,” said another X user.
Many pointed out that the outbreak hit an insular Mennonite community the hardest. Others claim Mexico’s vaccination rate is higher than the U.S. RFK Jr. has been touring the area this week.
Mackenzie told Tapper that he was not against vaccinations.
“As a father of a 1-year-old who is going through his vaccine regimen right now, that is something that I’m choosing for my son,” he said. “We are getting him vaccinated just like I was vaccinated.
“In the case of the measles vaccine, that’s something that’s been long established. And I think we have a fairly good track record of evidence to prove that that is safe and effective. So I would encourage others—if that is their choice—to actually go out and do that.”
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