Kilmar Abrego Garcia detained in US, faces possible deportation to Uganda

The President Donald Trump administration has detained Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an already wrongfully deported Maryland man, and he is currently facing another potential and immediate deportation, this time to Uganda.

A blanket court order automatically halts the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Abrego Garcia and other immigrants who are contesting their detention despite his new detention on Monday.

The order, which extends the immigrant’s right to be removed from the US until 16:00 (20:00 GMT), on the second business day after their habeas corpus petition is filed, covers any immigrant seeking review of their detention in a Maryland federal court. The administration filed a lawsuit against the standard order in June against all 15 federal judges in Maryland.

In what the man’s legal team describes as a “vindictiveness” by Trump’s administration, immigration officials in the US say they intend to deport Abrego Garcia to Uganda, according to a court filing on Saturday.

The east African nation where US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intends to deport him recently reached a deal to accept some deportees from the US.

According to the court filing, Abrego Garcia was given the idea after he declined to accept a deportation to Costa Rica while he stayed in jail and pleaded guilty to human smuggling charges.

Abrego Garcia, a 30-year-old Salvadoran national and construction worker, turned himself in at a rally before saying, “God is with us, and God will never leave us,” he said in a translator-speaking manner. God will bring justice to the injustices that we are experiencing.

On Monday, Abrego Garcia entered ICE’s offices in a downtown building. His wife, who was tears in her eyes when she emerged without him a short while later, was also present.

On August 25, 2025, his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, attends a protest rally at the immigration and customs enforcement field office in Baltimore [KT Kanazawich/AP Photo]

Abrego Garcia was being deported, according to Kristi Noem, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, in a post on X.

Shortly after his arrest, Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, claimed a lawsuit was being filed in a Maryland federal district court asking for an order to prevent his deportation. He said, “I anticipate there will be a status conference very soon, and we will request an interim order that he not be deported, pending his due process rights to contest deportation to any particular country.”

Trump’s hardline immigration policies are portrayed in the public eye.

Abrego Garcia, who has an American wife and two children, has resided in Maryland for years under a protected legal status until 2019, when a judge ordered him to avoid deportation because he could suffer harm in his home country.

As part of Trump’s crackdown on refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers in the US, he then rose to the top of the list of cases involving more than 200 people who were sent to the notorious CECOT megaprison in El Salvador. His case continues to be a significant turning point for the Trump administration’s anti-immigration crackdown.

Lawyers for the Department of Justice acknowledged that an “administrative error” had led to the Salvadoran citizen’s deportation in error.

According to his attorneys, Abrego Garcia was brutally beaten and subjected to psychological torture in the El Salvadoran prison.

In court documents that were filed in Abrego Garcia’s civil lawsuit against the Trump administration in June, which provided a detailed account of his experiences following his first deportation, the alleged abuse was detailed.

Abrego Garcia, who denies any wrongdoing, is accused of being a part of the smuggling of undocumented refugees and migrants into the US between 2016 and early this year. He is also accused of being involved in this.

In January 2027, his human smuggling trial is scheduled to start.

The Trump administration has claimed that Abrego Garcia is a threat to the neighborhood and an MS-13 gang member, and that it is trying to deport him months before his trial is scheduled in Tennessee.

He has denied the gang charge, entered a not-guilty plea to smuggling charges, and requested that the case be dismissed due to vindictive prosecution.

Friday afternoon, Abrego Garcia was released from a Tennessee jail. He went back to his Maryland family.

According to a statement from a spokesman for the Justice Department, Chad Gilmartin outlined how Abrego Garcia presents a “clear danger” and that he has the option of facing a trial.

Syria condemns new Israeli “military incursion” in Damascus countryside

In response to the two parties’ recent Parisian talks on de-escalation of the conflict in southern Syria, Syria has condemned a new “military incursion” by Israel in the southwest of Damascus countryside area outside the capital. It calls it a “grave threat to regional peace.”

Asaad al-Shaibani, the foreign minister of Syria, claimed that Israel had violated the Disengagement Agreement by setting up military installations and intelligence facilities in demilitarized areas in order to advance its “expansionist and partition plans” on Monday.

Al-Shaibani addressed the issue of Israel’s genocidal war in the Gaza Strip at an opportune meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) foreign ministers.

Following a week of sectarian violence in Suwayda, where 1,400 people were killed before a ceasefire, the Israeli military moved to Syria. Under the pretext of defending the Druze, Israel bombed Damascus and carried out strikes on Syrian troops.

First Syrian leader to address UNGA will be Al-Sharaa.

In the interim, it was made known that Bashar al-Assad’s replacement president Ahmed al-Sharaa will address the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September, marking the country’s first major international leader in a decade.

No one ever addressed the annual gathering of world leaders in New York during the more than 50 years that the al-Assad dynasty ruled Syria.

A Syrian official confirmed to the AFP news agency that he will be the first president from Syria to address the UN since Nureddin al-Atassi (in 1967) and the first to attend the General Assembly’s high-level week, which is scheduled for September 22 to 30.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his replacement, Abdullah al-Sharaa, at the Syrian Presidential Palace [Khalil Ashawi / Reuters]

Due to his past as a fighter, Al-Sharaa, who oversaw rebels’ lightning advance to Damascus in December and oversaw al-Assad’s ouster, is still subject to UN sanctions and a travel ban, and must request an exemption for all travel arrangements abroad.

Al-Shaibani made his first UN appearance in April at the organization’s New York headquarters, raising his nation’s new flag.

Since taking office, Syria’s new administration has accumulated significant economic support, both diplomatically and financially, helping to rebuild the devastated nation.

This month, Damascus&nbsp signed 12 agreements worth $14 billion, including a $4 billion agreement with Qatar’s UCC Holding to construct a new airport and a $2 billion agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ national investment corporation.

Al-Sharaa met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on his first visit to the West in May when he first met US President Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia.

Syrian sanctions have been lifted by the US and the European Union.

In September, a week before the UNGA meeting, Syria will hold parliamentary elections.

When and why has the National Guard been deployed in the US before?

According to the military, National Guard troops are now carrying weapons while they are en route to Washington, DC, the capital of the country, according to a statement released on Sunday.

The deployment, which began on August 11, 2025, following Trump’s executive order declaring a crime emergency, has been met with protests and concern from residents. The president has up to 30 days in place to manage policing in the capital under the law.

Up to 1,700 National Guard members are scheduled to mobilize in 19 states in the upcoming weeks to support President Trump’s anti-immigration and crime crackdown, according to Pentagon officials.

What is the National Guard?

In the US, the National Guard is a reserve military force that can be called upon to perform active duty. It supports military operations abroad and responds to domestic emergencies like natural disasters and civil unrest.

It has two branches, the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard, with roughly 431, 000 members, making it the second-largest branch of the US military.

It consists of part-time airmen and soldiers who work as civilians and work one weekend a month.

(Al Jazeera)

How does the National Guard differ from the US military?

One of the nation’s oldest military organizations, the National Guard, dates back to 1636, which predates the US’s founding in 1776.

It evolved from colonial militias, which were established to defend nearby communities, into the modern-day National Guard structure.

Each US state and territory – as well as Washington, DC – has its own National Guard unit. These units serve both federal and state governments in a dual capacity.

The regular US military, in contrast, is a full-time federal force with active-duty personnel who work as commanders-chief for the president while conducting operations both domestically and internationally.

Who can deploy the National Guard?

The governor of a state typically orders deployments to deal with local emergencies, such as natural disasters, civil unrest, or public health crises, but the president or state governors can call on the National Guard.

Trump and Newsom
On January 24, 2025, President Donald Trump (center) and First Lady Melania Trump intercept Governor Gavin Newsom as they board the Air Force One at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California.

Even without a governor’s request, the president can federalise the National Guard for national missions. This was the first federalization of a state without a governor’s approval since the Watts riots of 1965, which occurred earlier this year in Los Angeles despite the objections of California’s governor, Governor Gavin Newsom.

What are the possible uses for the National Guard?

The National Guard can be deployed for a wide range of domestic and federal missions, from disaster relief at home to operations abroad, including:

missions at home:

  • Disaster relief (hurricanes, floods, wildfires, etc.)
  • Support during civil unrest or local emergencies
  • logistical, medical, and search and rescue support

Federal responsibilities:

  • Reinforce active-duty forces during national crises
  • deployment for combat or peacekeeping missions overseas
  • support domestic and international federal military operations

When previously has the National Guard been deployed?

The National Guard has been activated hundreds, if not thousands, of times at the state level for local and regional crises throughout its long history and has been federally mobilized dozens of times for US conflicts and national emergencies.

Among the most notable National Guard actions in recent US history are:

Little Rock integration (1957) – Landmark civil rights moment with federal vs state standoff

The “Little Rock Nine” were the first African American students to attempt to enter an all-white school in Arkansas in 1957, sparking the Little Rock Integration Crisis. The governor of the state used the National Guard to obstruct them, prompting President Dwight Eisenhower to federalize the National Guard and dispatch federal troops, causing a defining conflict between state resistance and federal authority over school desegregation.

Little Rock Nine
The National Guard deployed in Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957]File]

Ole Miss Integration (1962) – Civil rights movement

James Meredith, the first African American student, attempted to enroll at the University of Mississippi in 1962, sparking violent riots. President John F Kennedy sent federal troops and federalised the Mississippi National Guard to enforce his admission, marking a major milestone in the US civil rights movement.

Voting Rights Act Pivotal in Selma to Montgomery marches (1965)

Civil rights activists in Montgomery, Alabama demanded African Americans’ right to vote in a march that lasted from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. After violent attacks on demonstrators during “Bloody Sunday”, President Lyndon B Johnson federalised the Alabama National Guard to protect marchers. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was directly impacted by the marches because they had had a transformative impact.

Martin Luther King Jr March
Martin Luther King Jr., an American activist for civil rights, and his wife Coretta Scott King (center) lead a march march marching in Montgomery, Alabama, from Selma, Alabama, on March 30, 1965.

Detroit riots (1967) – Massive urban unrest with widespread destruction

After a police raid on an unlicensed bar, riots broke out in Detroit, Michigan, in July 1967. 43 people were killed and hundreds were injured as a result of the unrest quickly deteriorated into citywide violence, looting, and arson. The Michigan National Guard was deployed alongside federal troops to restore order, marking one of the deadliest and most destructive urban uprisings in US history.

Unpack the Past - History of the US Police
[File: July 25, 1967, AP Photo] After riots in Detroit, Michigan, hundreds of fires were reported, and more than 1,400 buildings were destroyed by the violence.

National attention was given to the shooting at Kent State in 1970, with four students killed.

In May 1970, during protests against the Vietnam War at Kent State University in Ohio, the National Guard opened fire on unarmed students, killing four and wounding nine. The anti-war movement’s pivotal moment was the Kent State shooting, which also served as a reminder of how divided American society is today.

Rodney King riots (1992) – Massive civil unrest and destruction

In April 1992, following the acquittal of police officers filmed beating Rodney King, Los Angeles, California erupted in days of unrest marked by arson, looting and violence. One of the largest civil unrests in recent US history occurred when the National Guard was deployed alongside federal troops to restore order.

Rodney King
Rodney King addresses a press conference in Los Angeles on May 1, 1992, requesting an end to violence.

Ferguson protests (2014) – National Guard deployed following unrest

Following the police killing of Michael Brown, protests erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. In a time of high levels of hostility and demonstrations, local authorities were helped by National Guard units in preventing unrest and ensuring public safety.

Baltimore protests (2015) – National Guard deployed following civil unrest

Following Freddie Gray’s passing while being held by police in Baltimore, Maryland, the National Guard was dispatched there in 2015. Guard units assisted local authorities in preventing unrest, preserving order, and preventing protests in the city.

Protesters March in Baltimore Over Death Of Freddie Gray
Attorney Malik Shabazz leads demonstrators in chants against Baltimore Police officers during an April 22, 2015 protest against police brutality and the death of Freddie Gray outside the Western District station in the Sandtown neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland]File]

Katrina (2005): A fatal natural disaster

The National Guard sent relief efforts to areas of Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina, one of the most deadly and destructive hurricanes ever to hit the country. Guard units helped with rescue operations, evacuations, and relief efforts during the widespread devastation.

UN Climate Report
On August 30, 2005, Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters pour into downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.

2020 COVID-19 pandemic: Nationwide deployment for health emergencies

In 2020, National Guard units were deployed across the US to assist with the COVID-19 pandemic, providing support for testing, vaccination and medical logistics.

George Floyd protests (2020) – Nationwide deployment in response to unrest

In response to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was taken into police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, National Guard units were deployed across the US in 2020 to assist local authorities during protests.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 06: Demonstrators march on Constitution Avenue near the Dirksen Senate Office Building during a protest against police brutality and racism on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Thi
Demonstrators march on Constitution Avenue near the Dirksen Senate Office Building during a protest against police brutality and racism on June 6, 2020 in Washington, DC]Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP]

Capitol riots (2021) – Federal deployment

Following Trump’s supporters’ attempted insurrection at the US Capitol after he lost the 2020 US presidential election to Joe Biden, National Guard units were dispatched to Washington, DC, in January 2021. Guard personnel assisted federal authorities in securing the Capitol, restoring order, and protecting lawmakers and staff during the attack.

FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo insurrections loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. U.S. Capitol Police officers who were attacked and beaten during the Capitol riot filed a lawsuit Thursday, Aug. 26, against former President Donald Trump, his allies and members of far-right extremist groups, accusing them of intentionally sending insurrectionists to disrupt the congressional certification of the election in January. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
On January 6, 2021, a large gathering of President Donald Trump supporters took place at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

Al Jazeera condemns Israel’s killing of its journalist in Gaza

The statement made by Al Jazeera Media Network regarding Mohammad Salama, one of its cameramen, and other journalists killed by Israel in Gaza is below.

Before the Israeli occupation forces committed another crime against Al Jazeera cameraman Mohammad Salama, along with four other photojournalists, the blood of our martyred journalists in Gaza has not yet dried up.

Our coworkers Mohammad Salama, Hussam al-Masri, Mariam Abu Daqqa, a photographer for the Associated Press and Independent Arabia, and Moaz Abu Taha were killed today by occupation forces.

More than 20 civilians, including patients and members of the press, died as a result of this atrocity, which took place during an attack on Khan Younis’ Nasser Medical Complex, without distinction between those receiving medical care and those using cameras to document the crimes.

With the most recent crime, which claimed Mohammad Salama’s life, there have been ten more Al Jazeera journalists killed by Israel in Gaza than there have been in the Strip since October 2023. The deadliest conflict for media professionals in modern history has resulted in unprecedented numbers of journalists being targeted.

The Israeli occupation forces, who have directly targeted and murdered journalists as part of a coordinated effort to silence the truth, condemn this abominable crime in the strongest possible terms.

(Al Jazeera)

The Israeli occupation’s ongoing campaign against journalists violates all international conventions and laws, including the Geneva Conventions, which strictly forbid the deliberate targeting of civilians and journalists in conflict zones.

Al Jazeera claims that Israel’s prevailing sense of impunity, as well as its desire to silence journalists to keep its ongoing crimes in Gaza, including the genocide and the famine that has devastated the Strip, demonstrate a clear desire to conceal the truth.

Despite constant monitoring, occupation authorities have been preventing international media from reporting on the Israeli genocide in Gaza for the past 23 months. Al Jazeera is resolute in doing so.

The international community and all relevant governments must take swift action in order to stop these systematic crimes against journalists. To safeguard journalists, civilians, and the fundamental right to information, urgent and effective measures are required.

In order to end the deliberate killing of journalists, protect fundamental human rights, which are currently undergoing alarming decline and deterioration, and uphold press freedom, those in positions of global leadership have a moral and legal obligation.

Some comfort can be found in the widespread denigration and condemnation of Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues’ deaths on August 10, 2025, in spite of these depressing and agonizing circumstances.

What is GBS, the rare paralytic disease in Gaza amid Israeli blockade?

As a result of an Israeli blockade that continues to prevent the entry of food and medicine into Gaza, paralytic diseases are becoming more prevalent.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 85 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) have been reported since June.

Eight deaths have been linked to GBS in Gaza, according to the WHO.

Guillain-Barre syndrome: what is it?

The myelin sheath, which protects the peripheral nerves, is attacked by the body’s immune system as a result of GBS.

The nerve fiber is exposed, which leads to nerve damage.

From the brain and spinal cord, peripheral nerves travel through body parts like the skin, muscles, and organs.

According to the website of the Cleveland Clinic, GBS is a very uncommon condition that affects about 100,000 people worldwide annually.

Why does one get GBS?

GBS typically affects people who have had an infection from a viral or bacterial infection like the flu, Epstein-Barr virus, or Zika virus, despite the absence of an exact cause.

One of the most prevalent risk factors for GBS is a gastroenteritis brought on by the Campylobacter jejuni bacteria, according to the WHO. Animal faeces frequently contain Campylobacter jejuni.

According to Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of paediatrics at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, the majority of lab testing samples in Gaza have come back positive for Campylobacter jejuni, The Independent reported on Saturday.

According to Al-Farra, samples also turned out to be positive for enterovirus, a class of viruses that typically spread to people through contaminated water and cause body aches, sore throats, and rashes.

He explained that Israel’s failure to shut down Gaza’s sewage system, forcing residents to drink sewage-contaminated water, contributed to this disease spreading.

Global advocacy group Oxfam reported in July 2024 that Israeli bombardment destroyed 70% of all sewage pumps and wastewater treatment plants in Gaza. Israel has also accused Oxfam of enforcing restrictions on access to Oxfam’s water testing equipment.

GBS may also occasionally be brought on by surgery.

What signs indicate GBS?

Depending on the severity of the illness, symptoms can vary.

GBS typically starts with the feet and legs tingling, feeling numb, or having muscle weakness, before moving on to the rest of the body.

Other symptoms include muscle pain in the back or legs, chest pain that can cause breathing difficulties, eye movement difficulties, and swallowing or speaking problems.

Extremely frequently, legs or even the entire body can become paralyzed. Additionally, it can cause numbness, pricking, burning, or chilling of the skin.

According to the WHO, symptoms can last for a few weeks, and most people recover without developing long-lasting neurological problems. Some people still have weakness, though.

A small percentage of patients die from complications like cardiac arrest, blood infections, pulmonary embolism, or paralysis of the respiratory muscles, which can be life-threatening.

How is GBS diagnosed?

by tying the disease to the symptoms of the patient.

GBS symptoms overlap with those of other illnesses, so tests are necessary to support a diagnosis.

A small amount of fluid is injected into the lower back spinal canal to cause a lumbar puncture.

This fluid has been subjected to a GBS-compatible change test.

Electromyography, a muscle-based test that measures nerve activity, is another option.

What is the outcome?

GBS has no known cure, but there are ways to treat it.

For instance, a patient is placed on a ventilator if they are having breathing difficulties. Rehabilitation exercises can be helpful if a patient is struggling with their muscles.

Immunotherapy is used to treat early symptoms because GBS is an autoimmune condition.

This includes blood-transfer, which removes antibodies from the plasma. Within a few weeks of symptoms developing, these treatments are most potent.

Patients are hospitalized and monitored for complications because GBS is a life-threatening illness.

Are other conditions in Gaza causing paralysis?

While paralysis is also a common disease in Gaza, GBS is not the only one that is spreading.

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), a condition that causes muscle weakness or paralysis, has recently increased in Gaza.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza issued a press release on August 4th, citing a dangerous increase in cases of acute flaccid paralysis and Guillain-Barre syndrome among children in the Gaza Strip as a result of atypical infections and worsening acute malnutrition.

According to the press release, “Medical examinations have revealed the presence of intestinal viruses other than polio,” confirming the existence of a fertile environment for the unchecked spread of infectious diseases.

Paralysis is also brought on by the poliovirus, which had been eradicated from Gaza for 25 years.

11 months after Israel’s occupation of the enclave, it reappeared in Gaza.

It affects children under five years old primarily because it is caused by a particular type of enterovirus.

Gaza struggles with famine, so there are no medications there.

As a result of the Israeli blockade, Gaza is suffering from a man-made famine and a severe lack of medication.

Gaza is currently facing a level 5 catastrophe, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report. “Starvation, death, destitution, and extremely critical acute malnutrition are evident,” the report states.

Israel imposed a total blockade on essential supplies in mid-March, including fuel, food, and water. Although the supply chain has officially been re-established, supplies are haphazardly and only available now.

The UN reported on August 13 that Gaza’s hospitals were overcrowded.

Less than half of Gaza’s hospitals and 38 percent of its primary healthcare facilities are partially operational or only partially functioning, according to Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative for the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Additionally, the UN reported that major hospitals’ bed numbers are far beyond capacity.

Screwworm? What’s the flesh-eating parasite found in a human in the US?

According to its Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the United States has confirmed its first human case of New World screwworm.

The flesh-eating parasite can usually be fatal if left untreated and devours warm-blooded animals like cattle.

According to HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon in an email to the Reuters news agency, the case, which was being looked into by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was confirmed on August 4 and involved a patient who had traveled from El Salvador to the US state of Maryland.

Nixon declined to respond to a previous report that claimed a person who had traveled from Guatemala had been confirmed in Maryland. This year, there haven’t been any confirmed animal cases from the US government.

A screwworm is what?

It’s a screwworm fly larva.

Female screwworm flies infect warm-blooded animals with their eggs, which are then transformed into hundreds of screwworm larvae.

The larvae then make their way through the host’s living flesh for about a week using their sharp mouths.

They then develop in the ground for another week to two months before becoming adult fly at the end of that week.

In addition to being fatal to humans, screwworm has been known to spread to both animals and cattle.

In Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, on July 3, 2025, a calf was spray with disinfectant to stop screwworm.

What signs exist?

As larvae develop painful, progressive wounds when they bury themselves in living tissue in both wildlife and people. Open, foul-smelling sores with obvious maggots inside, accompanied by symptoms.

Animals who are infected may exhibit weakness, decreased mobility, weight loss, abnormal behavior, or other abnormal behaviors. Severe pain, swelling, fever, and secondary infections are symptoms in humans.

The presence of larvae in wounds is the primary indicator of screwworm. The bodies of the maggots have spine-like bands around each segment, which give them distinctive features.

Infected people can cause tissue destruction and even death if left untreated.

What is the outcome?

Painfully.

The hundreds of larvae must be manually removed, and the wounds must be cleaned.

In severe cases, pain management may be required, and antibiotics are frequently prescribed to treat secondary bacterial infections.

Topical or systemic insecticides are also used to kill the last larvae in animals to stop re-infestation and stop re-infection.

Recovery is possible with careful care, but untreated cases can result in severe tissue damage and death.

What makes this case significant?

Adult screwworm flies can quickly spread to wildlife populations, livestock herds, and even humans because they can travel for many kilometers to find their hosts. The patient in Maryland was the first case of human screwworm to be identified in the US.

The US cattle industry may be hampered by the parasite’s potential impact on human health in addition to the potential harm to the population. Because the post-partum navel has not yet healed, newborn calves are particularly vulnerable.

Screwworms have recently been discovered moving north from Central America into southern Mexico, so beef producers and livestock traders in the US are already on the lookout for potential infestations.

What steps are governments taking to address this?

More than a week after US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced plans to build a sterile fly facility in Texas as part of the pest’s control, the US government confirmed a screwworm case.

Male flies are produced and sterilized in a large number in a sterile fly factory. These are then released to mat with wild females, which causes a decline in the wild population. In the US in the 1960s, screwworm was eradicated using this method.

According to the USDA, a screwworm outbreak could result in about $1.8 billion in livestock deaths, labor costs, and medical expenses for Texas, the state with the largest cattle-producing population.

Mexico kicked off the construction of its own $ 51 million sterile fly production facility earlier this year as a means of limiting the spread of the pest.

FILE PHOTO: Larvae of the screwworm fly, collected from infected cows, are observed at the COPEG sterile fly production plant, which fights the spread of the cattle screwworm, in Pacora, Panama, June 11, 2025. REUTERS/Enea Lebrun/File Photo
On June 11, 2025, the larvae of the screwworm fly were taken from infected cows at the Pacora, Panama’s COPEG sterile fly production plant.

Why is the US cattle industry agitated?

In recent years, screwworms have been making their way north from Central America to Mexico.

According to the USDA, they are widespread in South America, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other nations.

After previously halting imports in November and May, the USDA ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry when Mexico reported a new case about 595 kilometers (370 miles) south of the US border in July.

More than a million heads of cattle are legally imported from Mexico each year to fatten feedlots and slaughter animals.