U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter to her counterpart in Mexico demanding that Mexico eliminate restrictions on USDA aircraft and waive customs duties on eradication equipment that are critically impairing the U.S. response to the spread of the New World Screwworm. The United States has suspended all livestock imports from Mexico due to the threat of the New World Screwworm. This flesh-eating parasite has been detected in Mexican farms.
Secretary Rollins wrote, “Every delay in granting full operational authority and eliminating customs barriers undermines our collective ability to carry out this emergency response.” Rollins announced that the suspension would be enforced month-by-month to protect U.S. cattle, emphasizing that the last outbreak took 30 years for the industry to recover.
The New World Screwworm, eradicated in the U.S. in 1966, has resurfaced in Central and South America, with cases now spreading northward. The parasite lays eggs in wounds or body openings of mammals, including cattle, deer, birds, pets, and even humans, leading to potentially fatal infections. 
Although the parasite has been detected 700 miles south of the U.S. border, officials are concerned about its northward movement, particularly in Texas and other border states. Wildlife crossing the border naturally could introduce the parasite into U.S. livestock populations.
Mexico has criticized the ban, arguing that existing protocols ensure cattle entering the U.S. are free of screwworms. However, Rollins emphasized that the suspension is a national security issue focused on food and animal safety, rather than politics.
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of the New World Screwworm in Texas, but officials are urging increased surveillance. Symptoms of infection in wildlife and pets include isolation, loss of appetite, irritated behavior, head shaking, and the smell of decay. This “maneater” maggot burrows in to wounds, nostrils, eyes, and mouths of animals and occasionally humans, causing severe damage or death.
Efforts to combat the screwworm include releasing sterile flies and monitoring animal health. Texas Parks and Wildlife urges hunters and pet owners to check animals for maggots to protect livestock and wildlife.
Adult flies with metallic blue or green bodies and orange eyes travel long distances, increasing the risk of reintroduction. Officials urge immediate reporting of symptoms like maggots in wounds or decaying flesh to prevent further spread.