BMJ public health
COVID-19 in migrating people at the US-Mexico border during Title 42 immigration restrictions
By Mohareb AM, Draugelis S, Bishop S and 5 others.
Abstract
Introduction
In March 2020, the US government implemented the policy of 'Title 42,' which restricted entry of asylum seekers on the stated basis of COVID-19 prevention. In the subsequent years, informal settlements for displaced persons developed and increased in size near the US-Mexico border. We sought to determine the risk of COVID-19 in this setting and compare this to nearby communities at the border.
Methods
We conducted an observational study of COVID-19 using data from a humanitarian relief operation at informal settlements at the US-Mexico border from March 2020 to March 2021. People who used this clinic had travelled through irregular routes of migration in Latin America. We reviewed patient characteristics, symptoms and point-of-care SARS-CoV-2 test results during the study period. We compared COVID-19 percent positivity in the camp with the surrounding communities in Mexico and Texas, USA, over 4-week periods.