White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is shaming decisions by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves to completely reopen their states this week by eliminating mask mandates and allowing businesses to operate at full capacity.
"In Europe there are travel restrictions between European states, the United States is large and has 50 states. Is there any discussion of restrictions for traveling between states when different states have such different ideas about how to fight COVID? And, would you encourage or discourage other Americans from traveling to Texas or Mississippi right now?" Psaki was asked.
"I'm not aware of any discussions and I certainly wouldn't do that from here but I would just say that we are going to continue to use every method of the bully pulpit at our disposal to convey directly to people living across the country, including in many of these states, that mask wearing, social distancing, getting access to the vaccine is the path to go back to normal," she responded.
But when asked about the release of hundreds of Wuhan coronavirus positive illegal aliens into the country, Psaki denied the situation as "factual" and then simply encouraged social distancing. She also placed responsibility of testing people entering the country illegally on local non-governmental organizations.
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"Our guidance to anyone, regardless of status, is testing positive for COVID-19 or experiencing COVID like symptoms is to social distance, to wear a mask and seek medical attention as needed. But in general, our approach and our policy is to work with local governments, work with local NGOs to make sure to have testing, to ensure these migrants are tested," she said. "Many of these NGOs have stepped in."
Hundreds of illegal immigrants who tested positive for Wuhan coronavirus have been released by Health and Human Services into the United States. Many of them, knowing they tested positive, are still traveling throughout the country.
More than 100 illegal immigrants released by the Border Patrol into Texas since late January have tested positive for the coronavirus following their arrival, officials in a city on the U.S.-Mexico border tell Fox News.
Felipe Romero, a spokesperson for Brownsville, said Wednesday that the 108 positives represent 6.3% of the number of total migrants who have been rapid-tested at the city’s main bus station, where they are being released by the Border Patrol. Rapid testing of the individuals began there on Jan. 25.
He added that Brownsville does not have the authority to prevent those who test positive from traveling elsewhere in the U.S. -- and are advising them to quarantine, follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and socially distance.
The city of Brownsville also told Noticias Telemundo Investiga that it is advising migrants who test positive to go to NGOs and nonprofits in the area for help with finding shelter and places they can isolate themselves from others. The local county-wide positivity rate is estimated to be 13.8%.
Migrant families who tested positive and spoke to that news organization at the bus station said they were waiting to travel to places such as Maryland and New Jersey.
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