WASHINGTON (WDNews) — Mexico has confirmed a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S. border.
The pest, which can infect livestock and even people, is considered a major threat to the American cattle industry.
Sabinas Hidalgo sits along the highway between Monterrey and Laredo, Texas, being one of the busiest trade routes in the world. The animal affected was an 8-month-old cow recently moved from southern Mexico, where screwworm has already been spreading.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said the threat is being taken seriously.
“Protecting the United States from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority of the Trump Administration,” Rollins said. “This is a national security priority. We have given Mexico every opportunity and every resource necessary to counter NWS since announcing the NWS Bold Plan in June 2025. Nevertheless, American ranchers and families should know that we will not rely on Mexico to defend our industry, our food supply or our way of life. We are firmly executing our five-pronged plan and will take decisive action to protect our borders, even in the absence of cooperation.”
Currently, U.S. ports remain closed to imports of cattle, bison and horses from Mexico.
