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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Glenn Grothman stated on November 30, 2021 in Twitter: Says Joe Biden “shut down travel from 8 countries in response to the Omicron variant, but he refuses to require a #COVID19 test for illegal immigrants crossing our Southern border.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" half-true/6479cbc723379f0ee49c269b0b9790b7.jpg.\\") ![\\"half- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") * Immigration * Border Security * Wisconsin * Coronavirus * Glenn Grothman ![\\"A](\\" A U.S. Customs and Border Protection van is seen next to a bus picking up travelers, mostly migrants from Haiti released from CBP custody, at a gas station that serves as a bus terminal, Sept. 23, 2021, in Del Rio, Texas. By Laura Schulte December 14, 2021 # Some migrants being tested for COVID at Southern border, but only if they’re sick #### If Your Time is short * President Joe Biden did ban travel from eight African countries, trying to slow down the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 * Widespread testing for migrants crossing the United States’ southern border is not being required, however. * But those showing symptoms of COVID-19 are required to take a test for the virus. * But in August, officials said they were relying on a patchwork of local governments and other contractors to do the testing, so the responsibility wasn’t completely on the federal government or Biden administration See the sources for this fact-check The discovery of a new variant of COVID-19 -- dubbed Omicron -- has once again set the world on edge, with leaders scrambling to keep people safe amid questions about just how dangerous the new strain is. In the U.S., President Joe Biden responded by limiting travel from some affected countries, but that only prompted criticism about what the U.S. is not doing at the southern border. On Nov. 30, 2021, U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wisconsin, tweeted this about Biden: \"POTUS shut down travel from 8 countries in response to the Omicron variant, but he refuses to require a #COVID19 test for illegal immigrants crossing our Southern border.\" For the purpose of this fact-check, we’re going to look into both parts of Grothman’s claim -- Did Biden put restrictions on eight countries? And are the migrants coming into the U.S. via the southern border not being tested for COVID? Is Grothman correct? Generally speaking, yes. But there is considerable information missing. Biden blocks travel from eight African countries following discovery of Omicron Let’s start with the first part of the claim. Did Biden block travel from eight countries upon the discovery of the Omicron variant? According to a Nov. 26, 2021 proclamation, travelers from eight African countries were indeed blocked from entry into the U.S. to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those countries were Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The travel restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens, however. In his proclamation, Biden says the travel advisory is necessary to protect the U.S., because African countries had not yet been able to conduct genomic sequencing on the variant to detect how much more transmissible it may be. So that part of the claim is on point. But what about the other part? Report found that most migrants not tested for COVID after crossing borders Grothman said in a Dec. 3, 2021 interview that he learned the U.S Border Patrol wasn’t testing all immigrants entering the U.S. during a visit this year to a facility in Yuma, Arizona. He said he was told by agents that if a person declined a test, the agents weren’t able to press the issue any further. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 3, 2024 in X posts A group of 32 armed Venezuelans took over an apartment building in Chicago. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 6, 2024 When asked about the statement, Grothman’s office also sent over a list of other sources that noted that testing for COVID hasn’t been required at the border. One was a Sept. 10, 2021 memo from the Office of the Inspector General in the Department of Health Services, which said an inspection found that U.S. Customs and Border Control was not testing migrants, and was not required to do so, relying instead on local public health systems to test symptomatic individuals. The memo also noted that the DHS does not have the authority to enforce testing procedures at the border, either. Grothman’s office also shared a link to an April 28, 2021 New York Times report that included similar information: U.S. authorities were failing to test migrants crossing into the U.S. via the southern border, creating situations ripe for new transmission of the virus. The Times report said officials cited insufficient time and space to conduct more widespread testing – but it is from nearly nine months ago. Meanwhile, in a more recent fact-check, from August 2021, PolitiFact National noted: \"COVID-19 testing protocols have existed at the border under both the present and former administrations. Testing is done via a patchwork of federal agencies, local governments, organizations and contractors at various stages of the immigration process. \"In April, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told PolitiFact that it works with state authorities, local authorities and non-governmental organizations to ensure that ‘100% of noncitizens’ are tested for COVID-19 ‘at some point during their immigration journey.’ The agency also has told PolitiFact that a negative coronavirus test is required by the federal government before entry to the U.S.\" So, the picture on testing at the border is a difficult one to get a firm handle on. Even the most recent item cited by Grothman – the OIG memo on DHS and other agencies – noted that in many cases local governments are being relied upon for testing. Our ruling Grothman claimed that Biden halted travel from eight countries due to the discovery of the Omicron variant, but was still allowing migrants crossing the Southern border to go untested. Biden did halt travel from eight African countries following the discovery of the variant there, in hopes of slowing the spread into the U.S. Meanwhile, at the southern border reports have shown there is no widespread testing by federal agencies there. Instead, to the degree testing is occurring, local governments are being relied upon to do it. So Grothman is a bit off the mark there. Our definition of Half True is a \"statement is partially accurate but leaves out important details or takes things out of context.\" That fits here. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Glenn Grothman, Twitter, Nov. 30, 2021 The White House, \"A Proclamation on Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease 2019,\" Nov. 26, 2021 Phone conversation with Glenn Grothman, Dec. 3, 2021 Office of the Inspector General, \"DHS needs to enhance its COVID-19 response at the Southwest Border,\" Sept. 10, 2021 New York Times, \"Covid on the Border: Migrants Aren’t Tested on Arrival in U.S.\" April 28, 2021 PolitiFact, \"The Biden administration is ‘not even testing these people’ being released by Border Patrol into the U.S.\" Aug. 13, 2021 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Laura Schulte ![](\\" ![](\\" Jesse James stated on May 13, 2024 in News conference: In Wisconsin, “a legislative committee cannot release funding.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • August 27, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Hovde stated on August 13, 2024 in Public appearance: Says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin “has done absolutely nothing” about the fentanyl crisis. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • August 22, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Van Wanggaard stated on April 15, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: Says Gov. Tony Evers is asking the GOP to release money for PFAS, but \"vetoed (a bill outlining) how to spend the money.\" ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • June 14, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tom Tiffany stated on April 30, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: “The science is clear — the gray wolf has met and exceeded recovery goals.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • May 21, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Mark Pocan stated on March 27, 2024 in Public appearance: “We passed 27 bills last year, which is the fewest since the Depression.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • April 17, 2024 ![](\\" new/e5f81dc43ebbfab7c9d9b56cfba2f398.jpg\\") ![](\\" new/9fbc38bd9f4148c4e7374ecdd8d95da4.jpg\\") Tammy Baldwin stated on March 7, 2024 in Public appearance: “We’re facing situations these days where you have to have two officers in the evidence room in case there’s an accidental (fentanyl) exposure.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • March 29, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Hovde stated on March 4, 2024 in Campaign website: Says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin “was one of the staunchest supporters of the Iran deal which sent billions of dollars and plane loads of cash to Iran.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • March 8, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Sarah Godlewski stated on February 21, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: “One of my responsibilities as Secretary of State is to countersign acts passed by the legislature & signed into law by Gov. Evers.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • March 1, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kelda Helen Roys stated on February 1, 2024 in Public appearance: Minnesota incarcerates “about a third of what Wisconsin does.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • February 14, 2024 ![](\\" new/e5f81dc43ebbfab7c9d9b56cfba2f398.jpg\\") ![](\\" new/9fbc38bd9f4148c4e7374ecdd8d95da4.jpg\\") Tammy Baldwin stated on January 21, 2024 in X, formerly Twitter: “Wisconsin had over 1,400 opioid overdose deaths in 2022.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • February 6, 2024 ![](\\" image-80/0c4f37840a8378d9453cea63daf9200c.jpg\\") ![](\\" image-80/ffc1f7260280583b120e71858ff0578d.jpg\\") Americans for Prosperity stated on December 4, 2023 in X, formerly Twitter: “Wisconsin utilities have charged ratepayers more than $1.9 billion of increases since 2019.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • December 29, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Scott Walker stated on May 30, 2023 in Interview: “Wisconsin has historically … and I think largely continues to be, a blue state.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • October 31, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Janet Protasiewicz stated on March 9, 2023 in TV ad: As a sitting Supreme Court justice, Daniel Kelly recused himself from a case, then “he pocketed $20,000 in contributions” from the plaintiff and family members and “unrecused himself so he could judge the case.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Laura Schulte • March 24, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" National Republican Senatorial Committee stated on February 21, 2023 in YouTube ad: “Tammy Baldwin wants to take away” Medicare and Social Security. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • March 7, 2023 ![](\\" ![](\\" Tony Evers stated on December 28, 2022 in Twitter: “Wisconsin is the nation’s top cranberry producer — in fact, our farmers harvest around 60 percent of the country’s crop.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • February 2, 2023 ### Some migrants being tested for COVID at Southern border, but only if they’re sick * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on September 9, 2024 in a post: “Less than three months ago, Kamala Harris and her administration blocked 300,000 unvetted Haitian migrants from being deported out of our country.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 30, 2024 in an X post: Photo shows President Joe Biden lounging on the beach \"while towns all over America were being wiped out” by Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 30, 2024 in in social media posts: “Biden Announces: ‘2.4 billion more to Ukraine’ but ‘no more aid for Hurricane Helene.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 24, 2024 in a post: “Olympic boxer Imane Khelif fails gender test, stripped of all titles, lifetime ban and $25 million prize money revoked!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on September 29, 2024 in an Instagram post: “Video shows Kamala (Harris) responding to someone talking through her earrings that she allegedly wore during the Trump vs. Harris debate.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Elissa Slotkin stated on September 30, 2024 in a Meta ad: U.S. Senate candidate Mike Rogers “believes he should make that decision” about whether to end pregnancies. ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Caleb McCullough • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Tim Sheehy stated on September 27, 2024 in an ad: U.S. Sen. Jon Tester “voted to give taxpayer-funded health care to illegal immigrants.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Louis Jacobson • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 26, 2024 in an Instagram post: “Kamala involved in P-Diddy’s rapes and assaults.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on September 10, 2024 in the ABC News presidential debate: “Donald Trump said he was going to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. He never did. We did.” ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Jacob Gardenswartz • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 28, 2024 in an X post: Video shows “the bunker-busting bombs that ended the lives of (Hassan) Nasrallah and Hezbollah’s leadership.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 29, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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Says Joe Biden shut down travel from 8 countries in response to the Omicron variant but he refuses to require a test for illegal immigrants crossing our Southern border