"U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz hope to fund an operation to kill the parasitic fly before too much damage is done."

"McALLEN — Multiple efforts are underway to stop a parasitic fly from swarming Texas and the rest of the U.S. and wreaking havoc on the nation’s multi-billion-dollar cattle industry.

As screwworms fly closer to the southern border, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has again suspended live animal imports from Mexico. Meanwhile, U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico are trying to fund a nuclear facility that would stop the fly from further spreading. U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales is leading a similar effort in the House.

The screwworm, a fly that embeds its larvae into the living flesh of animals and humans, has spread through Central America, including Mexico.

There is an increasing alarm that the fly could reach South Texas as soon as June, disrupting a $15 billion cattle industry."

Berenice Garcia and Jess Huff report for the Texas Tribune May 21, 2025. [2]