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Texas GOP Congressman Ronny Jackson said Saturday that the federal government's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, should be down at the U.S. southern border instead of guilting Americans into wearing "two masks."
Jackson, who was the chief medical adviser to the White House during former President Donald Trump's administration, accused Democrats of having used the COVID-19 pandemic as a political "tool" since the virus outbreak last year.
The Texas Republican told Fox News Saturday that Fauci and other Biden administration officials aren't dealing with the health crisis at the border, which he said is worsening due to overcrowding at migrant detention facilities. He and Fox News host Pete Hegseth agreed that photographs at the border show "super spreaders" are trying to gain entry to America.
"Well, the Dems have used COVID as a tool for the last two years to get whatever they need, and they're using it now to make an excuse why reporters and people can't go in there and see what's going on," Jackson told Fox News. "I'd like to know, where is President Biden's concern about our health down there?"
"Where is Fauci?" Jackson continued. "Fauci should be down there at the border looking at this, instead, he's running around talking about how you have to wear two masks and all this other kind of stuff to keep us safe and if you don't you're responsible. Simultaneously, the border is just being stormed by these people, we know a large percentage of these people are COVID positive. "
Jackson joined numerous congressional Republicans who say the immigration crisis at the border may be worsening the coronavirus pandemic by allowing infected individuals into the country. Alabama GOP Congressman Mo Brooks said "illegal immigrants" are bringing COVID-19 into the country at an alarming rate during an interview last week.
During a U.S. Senate committee hearing about the health crisis at the border on March 18, Fauci said he was "not familiar" enough with the situation in Texas to fully answer Republicans' questions
During a separate appearance on Fox News Friday, Jackson claimed President Joe Biden may not be "fit for duty and in control" of his mental facilities. This accusation was often directed toward the 78-year-old Biden by his critics during the 2020 presidential campaign.
Fauci is the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a position he also occupied during Trump's administration. The former president frequently criticized Fauci for appearing to contradict his administration during the pandemic.
Jackson said the state of Texas, which lifted its state mask mandate earlier this month, will be reeling from the potentially infected migrants crossing the border.
"We've worked really hard, especially here in Texas, to turn things around with COVID so we can get our kids back to school and open up our small businesses and they are going to absolutely undo this with everything going on down there. This is a huge disaster from an economic standpoint and from a health standpoint and from a national security standpoint...for crying out loud, we know there's people on the terrorist watch list coming across the border."
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