Border Democrats call for Biden to vaccinate migrants: 'It would be silly not to'

Democrats who represent districts at the border are calling for President Biden to vaccinate migrants coming into the United States, Axios reports.

"It would be silly not to give the migrants access to the vaccines," Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) said. "It would protect the migrants, and our communities, against the virus."

Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas) also told Axios that she's been "pushing to vaccinate kids, older kids, who have the ability to give consent, on the American side of the border," adding, "It's in our interest." And Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D.N.M.) said, "Yes, they should be vaccinated. Why wouldn't they? I don't understand who would advocate that they should not be."

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The report describes how the Democrats are calling for this especially should Biden lift the Title 42 health restriction preventing migrants from claiming asylum on U.S. soil. Axios writes, though, that Republicans are likely to raise concerns about potentially "incentivizing more migration with the offer of free COVID-19 vaccines." The Department of Health and Human Services told Axios that earlier this month, it "began distributing COVID-19 vaccines to eligible unaccompanied children, per CDC guidance, with the goal of ensuring the health and well-being of every possible child in our care." Read more at Axios.