New Mexico Border Crossing Reopens Amid Flesh-Eating Screwworm Threat

With approval from U.S. agricultural inspectors, the crossing of Mexican cattle has resumed at the Columbus border crossing in New Mexico, which had been closed for nearly two years to prevent the spread of the flesh-eating New World screwworm.

The flesh-eating New World screwworm, a fly larval infestation that embeds itself in the flesh of pets, livestock, and even humans, threatens the $113 billion U.S. cattle industry. The Columbus port at the border has become the third port to resume Mexican cattle imports under new protection measures that include testing, vaccinations, and inspections. While border officials and ranchers express confidence that these layered measures will prevent imported animals from carrying screwworms, it is noted that ranchers, hunters, and pet owners must remain vigilant because the flies can cross the border on their own. The parasite was an annual agricultural nightmare before being largely eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s, and it reappeared in Mexico in 2024, with the first U.S. case detected in Texas in June.