Horse smuggling exposes cracks in US defenses against screwworm

In September, sheriff deputies in Redford, Texas, intercepted a trailer carrying six horses that had crossed the Rio Grande illegally from Mexico. The horses did not carry the screwworm parasite, which had already infested U.S. cattle in June. However, the case highlights the gaps in the U.S. defenses against the screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite.

The U.S. has banned the import of Mexican livestock for over a year to curb the spread of the fly, but illicit animal movements through the border persist. Illicit animal movements have often followed the same routes used for smuggling drugs and people. A screwworm outbreak in the 1960s killed thousands of animals in the U.S., and a widespread outbreak could cost the U.S. economy up to $1.8 billion.

Experts warn that smuggled animals could serve as hosts for the parasite, traveling much faster than they could naturally. In Presidio County, Texas, authorities have intercepted over 50 smuggled horses in the past two years. The Redford case, however, is unique as it involved the illegal crossing of horses, which are often sold for farm work, racing, or charrería, a traditional equestrian sport.

The smugglers often take the horses to Houston and Dallas, where they sell them for less than they would legally. The cartel La Linea, which the Trump administration designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization, is believed to be involved in the animal smuggling.