Illegal Immigration = Disease Problem

The Washington Times ran a column back in 2005 pointing out a dangerous trend where illegal immigrants are bringing large numbers of diseases into the US, including some that have been largely eliminated (or at least marginalized) here. Is this a problem we need to worry about, or is it just unnecessary alarmism?

Well, according to this article in the Charlotte Observer today, this is a very real concern. Hundreds of workers at a chicken processing plant in Greenville, South Carolina were exposed to tuberculosis that was likely brought into the country by a foreigner (though the article doesn't clearly say whether it was a legal or illegal foreigner).

In addition, what happens if a disease gets transmitted into a major food supply like this chicken processing plant? We'd have a huge problem on our hands, similar to the spinach recall or pet food recall in the past few months.

We know that illegal aliens are less likely to seek treatment for diseases like TB, which means they can quickly transmit TB and other diseases throughout America, and the more illegals come here the worse the problem gets. For example, in 1993, foreign-born residents accounted for 29% of reported TB cases; in 2005, that number had jumped up to 55%. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of TB cases in the Hispanic population of the US is 8 times higher than the rate in whites.

Do all illegals carry diseases? No, of course not. But, there is a lot of statistical evidence to prove that there is a definite link between illegal aliens and higher disease rates. This is yet another reason to secure our borders first, then systematically begin to deal with those who are already here.

There's my two cents.