Tuesday, April 28, 2009
In comments sure to spark controversy, Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) said the border with Mexico should be closed until the swine flu threat is resolved.
“The public needs to be aware of the serious threat of swine flu, and we need to close our borders to Mexico immediately and completely until this is resolved. I am making this announcement because I see this as a serious threat to the health of the American public and I do not believe this issue is receiving the attention it needs to have in the news.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a “public health emergency of international concern” and raised the threat level to Phase 4 (Phase 6 being the highest and a declared global pandemic) because of the outbreak in Mexico, according to ABC news. Cases have been reported in California, Texas, Kansas, Ohio and New York, as well as in Canada, Brazil, France, the UK, Scotland, Spain, Israel and New Zealand.
However, the epicenter of the swine flu outbreak is in Mexico City. A sprawling metropolis of some 22 million residents. Officially, the Mexican government reports more than 2,000 illnesses and more than 150 deaths, Unoffically, many Mexican bloggers report the number of deaths could be 10-to-30 times this number.
The border crossing between San Ysidro, CA and Tijuana is home to the world’s busiest land border crossing on earth. More than 50 million people cross the border between the U.S. and Mexico each year.
From the Left 
I’m glad someone had the guts to call for closing the border and not get hung-up on the usual “PC” baloney as the swine flu takes off and appears in more and more U.S. states.
Homeland Security claims they’re performing “passive interrogation” of people crossing the border at Tijuana and Brownsville.
I think they made the term up. In fact, last night on the CBS Evening News, they asked several people who had crossed from Mexico into California if they had been stopped or asked any questions and they didn’t know what the reporter was talking about.
Isn’t the real issue money? It always comes down to money. Of course, we should be screening at the nations airports but the image screening equipment costs money and we’re broke. Wait — that’s not exactly true. We have more money for Iraq and for Afghanistan but when it comes to protecting the American people, we can’t find the money.
Massa is probably right. Thing is, we don’t have those thermal devices that spot people with fevers (who may or not may know they are ill). and I’ve read the UK is telling citizens not to travel to Mexico AND the U.S. if it can be avoided. Wow.
Napalitano says that the threat isn’t big enough right now to warrant closing the border. This on the advice she has recieved. A lot of trucks with produce and whatever else we import from Mexico pass through those borders everyday. Randy Arroyo is right in that’s its all about money. If that produce doesn’t go through, our produce could start to cost us a lot more money. I’m wondering if there isn’t some pressure to keep the border open because of this.
I think Massa is wrong; this is a case where the horse already left the barn. The flu is here, and it is going to spread, and the best thing we can do now is try to keep the spread contained by teachinrg people to limit contact.
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Based on how the disease is actually spreading, it would make more sense to bar air travel between the two countires.
The fact Obama admin has not closed down border is outrageous. What is he waiting for? I want to give him some slack here but cannot because logically it makes no sense. Our close proximity to Mexico, the epicenter of this outbreak should be the reason to act NOW and not after thousands are ill with this flu! Who would reaped the most money if this happened?? DRUG COMPANIES.