Pennsylvania Rep. Ryan Mackenzie told a bold-faced lie on CNN’s Town Hall, claiming without evidence that undocumented immigrants were to blame for the measles outbreaks in the United States. Health officials attribute the rapid spread of the disease to declining vaccination rates in specific communities such as the Mennonite community.
Jake Tapper asked Mackenzie about the spread of the disease and if he had any concerns about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“In the case of the measles vaccine, that’s something that’s been long established, and I think we have a fairly good track record of evidence to prove that that is safe and effective,” he said.
“So I would encourage others, if that is their choice, to actually go out and do that,” he continued. “But we do have a couple other things that we need to address.”
“First of all, many of these instances that are coming into our country are from illegal immigrants,” he added.
There was a swift backlash on the Bad App.
The measles outbreak came from a Mennonite community who refuses to get vaccinated — as white as white gets. https://t.co/E12f5B5lgW
— Justin Glawe (@JustinGlawe) April 11, 2025
Texas health officials – not exactly flaming progressives – have explicitly denied this and said that there is no link between measles and undocumented immigrants, and the Congressman knows this: https://t.co/lEr3Hs2I86
This is deeply embarrassing. https://t.co/6KQJdjZBvk
— Mike Schlossberg (@MikeSchlossberg) April 11, 2025
.@Ryan_Mackenzie if you have evidence that the measles outbreak was caused by an immigrant, provide proof.
You won’t because you can’t.
The spread in Texas began with the unvaccinated in a Mennonite community. Not immigrants.
Your race baiting and xenophobia are repugnant. https://t.co/n5vKz2QjIq
— Veronica Escobar (@vgescobar) April 11, 2025
Shameful gaslighting. Let’s blame the most vulnerable rather than a total whack job for HHS Secretary. https://t.co/gLm7AxWZFx
— Rick Barger (@espwapouJacmel) April 11, 2025
Nazi propaganda blamed Jews for disease to justify cruelty and genocide.
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie is falsely blaming immigrants for measles.
Trump, Project 2025 & MAGA as a whole are intentionally trying to dehumanize immigrants – and we’ve seen where that can lead. https://t.co/zapzm9EHmc
— Max Flugrath🗳️ (@MaxFlugrath) April 11, 2025
This is straight up from the GOP playbook. Create a lie to blame migrants for something they didn’t do.