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US shuts southern border to livestock imports to stop spread of deadly flies

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US shuts southern border to livestock imports to stop spread of deadly flies


The Trump administration is temporarily banning imports of cattle, horses and bison through ports along the southern border because of the rapid northern spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the suspension in an X post on Sunday.

“Due to the threat of New World Screwworm I am announcing the suspension of live cattle, horse, & bison imports through U.S. southern border ports of entry effective immediately,” she wrote. “The last time this devastating pest invaded America, it took 30 years for our cattle industry to recover. This cannot happen again.”

The USDA said in a press release the first case of NWS in Mexico was reported to the U.S. in November 2024.

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EXCLUSIVE: CATTLE INDUSTRY CHIEF WARNS FLESH-EATING FLY MENACES US HERS AS MEXICO YIELDS ON PEST FIGHT

The problem is when NWS fly maggots burrow into the flesh of living animals, they can cause serious and often deadly damage to the animal, the USDA said. The types of animals NWS maggots can infest include pets, livestock, wildlife, birds, and in rare cases, humans.

According to the USDA, NWS was recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle movement as far north as about 700 miles from the U.S. border.

The U.S. and Mexico are working together to eradicate NWS before the deadly parasitic fly works its way to the southern border.

USDA THREATENS TO HALT MEXICAN BEEF IMPORTS OVER FLESH-EATING FLY CRISIS’

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The screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax. (Iowa State University)

Effective immediately, the USDA said, the agency’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are restricting the imports of live animal commodities originating from or transiting through Mexico.

The suspension will continue on a month-to-month basis, until “a significant window of containment is achieved,” the USDA said.

Livestock currently being held for entry into the U.S. will be processed normally, the USDA added, and will be inspected by a port veterinary medical officer and treated to ensure they are not carrying NWS.

MAINE’S FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZE FROM TRUMP’S USDA REVERSED

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An aerial view of cattle, detained in the pens of the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union, at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on November 27, 2024.  (Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest,” Rollins said of the work she had done with her Mexican counterpart. “The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance. Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety.”

The U.S. and Mexico are taking a three-pronged approach toward achieving the eradication of NWS, which includes field surveillance with education and outreach that ensures prevention, treatment and early detection. The approach also includes controlling animal movement to limit the spread of NWS and sustained sterile insect dispersal.

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This is not the first time the need to eradicate NWS has occurred. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said NWS was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s and in Mexico in the 1970s. 

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However, the eradication of the deadly worm cost billions of dollars and took decades.



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Alabama

Selma explosive wide receiver previews decision to choose Alabama or Auburn

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Selma explosive wide receiver previews decision to choose Alabama or Auburn




It will be either Alabama or Auburn when Cedrick Simmons announces his commitment decision on Tuesday.

Simmons is a 2027 wide receiver, and he attends Selma High School in Selma, Alabama. The rising senior garners a three-star rating from most recruiting sites.

Auburn was the last program to host Simmons for an official visit. The Tigers’ coaching staff has shown Simmons they want what is best for their players.

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“I love the coaches over there,” said Simmons. “They want the best for everybody over there. They are great at making their players the best they can be. I got two teammates up at Auburn right now, so they actually put me on with the wide receiver coach. At the time, it was Coach Davis, and he liked my playing style, and he offered me at a young age, and he believed in me early at a young age in the 10th grade.”

The Crimson Tide offered Simmons a few weeks ago after an impressive camp performance. He had been building a relationship with the Tide’s wide receiver coach Derrick Nix, since the spring.

“At first, me and coach Nix, we started building a relationship in the spring, and he told me he always liked my film,” Simmons said. “So, when I went to train there in person, and they saw my abilities, they went ahead and offered me. That was amazing. It felt so well-deserved and earned. I put the hard work in for it.”

Simmons told Touchdown Alabama the Tide was his leader after he officially visited Alabama earlier this month.

“What really stood out to me was learning about the standard they live by and why they’re always a top team in college football,” Simmons told Touchdown Alabama.

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The 5-foot-10, 190-pounder is a physical and explosive wide receiver, and he is built like a linebacker. He is coming off a season where he had more than 2,000 receiving yards.







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Arkansas

Arkansas Storm Team Alert Day: Damaging wind gusts & flooding overnight into Monday

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Arkansas Storm Team Alert Day: Damaging wind gusts & flooding overnight into Monday


The Arkansas Storm Team has designated Sunday overnight into Monday as an Alert Day for a line of storms moving through. Damaging wind gusts, flooding, and flash flooding are the main hazards. A tornado or two is also possible.

Flood-prone and low-lying areas should be aware of heavy rainfall overnight, leading to flooding and flash flooding. A Flood Watch is in place until 7 p.m. Monday, June 22, in northwestern and western Arkansas.

It’s strongly encouraged to have ways to receive weather alerts for your location overnight. This means ways that’ll wake you up in the event water is rising quickly or if you have to take shelter.

Download the Arkansas Storm Team app for the latest. The Arkansas Storm Team will also be live from 10:30 p.m. Sunday, June 21, to 4 a.m. Monday, June 22, on our streaming platforms. Coverage will continue at 4 a.m. on our morning newscasts.



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Delaware

Serious Injuries, DUI Charges: What Happened Friday Night in Sussex County

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Serious Injuries, DUI Charges: What Happened Friday Night in Sussex County


The Delaware State Police have obtained an arrest warrant for 36-year-old Angel Morales-Ortiz of Georgetown in connection with a series of crashes that left a Seaford man seriously injured Friday evening.

According to investigators, the incidents began at approximately 7:30 p.m. on June 19 when Morales-Ortiz, driving a Jeep Comanche, was traveling northbound on Middleford Road approaching Old Furnace Road. As he turned onto eastbound Old Furnace Road, the Jeep crossed into the westbound lane and sideswiped a Ford F-150 that was stopped at the intersection.

Police said Morales-Ortiz left the scene and continued eastbound on Old Furnace Road at a high rate of speed while committing multiple traffic violations. At the intersection of Coverdale Road, the Jeep reportedly backed into the front of a Toyota Camry before maneuvering around stopped traffic and continuing eastbound.

The series of events ended near Cokesbury Road when the Jeep crossed into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a Ford Fusion. The Fusion’s driver, a 20-year-old Seaford man, was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Toyota, a 25-year-old woman from Bishopville, Maryland, and her passengers were not injured. The driver of the Ford F-150, a 33-year-old Milford man, and his passenger were also uninjured.

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Troopers contacted Morales-Ortiz at the scene and reported observing multiple signs of impairment. He was flown by the Delaware State Police Aviation Section to a hospital with serious injuries. During a search of the Jeep, investigators said they found multiple open containers of alcohol. A records check also showed Morales-Ortiz’s driver’s license was suspended. Troopers subsequently obtained a warrant for a blood sample while he was being treated at the hospital.

Upon his release, Morales-Ortiz is expected to be charged with first-degree vehicular assault, two counts of leaving the scene of a property damage collision, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while suspended or revoked, and multiple related traffic offenses.



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