Stopping the Screwworm Fly at the Panama Canal

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One of my key goals is to ensure that the screwworm fly—a devastating parasitic insect—never re-establishes itself in North America. This insect, whose larvae feed on the living tissue of both humans and animals, poses a severe threat to livestock, public health, and our national food supply. In 2023, a confirmed outbreak in Mexico raised serious concerns. Based on the available evidence, it’s likely that an undocumented worker traveling from South America carried a screwworm-infested wound—allowing the larvae to mature and hatch into adult flies along the way. To prevent future outbreaks, I support a hard containment strategy that keeps screwworm populations permanently south of the Panama Canal. This includes expanded sterile insect programs, mandatory health screening for cross-border travelers, and enhanced biosecurity at ports of entry. America’s agricultural integrity must never be compromised by biological threats we know how to stop.