USDA to reopen Santa Teresa Port of Entry to livestock imports amid screwworm concerns
SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The USDA has announced a phased reopening of southern ports of entry to livestock imports as officials continue to tackle the screwworm issue. U. S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins suspended all live cattle and livestock imports from Mexico into the U.S., including through the Santa Teresa Port of Entry, in May. Santa Teresa is expected to reopen to livestock imports on July 21, 2025.
The New World screwworm has been infecting livestock, especially cattle, in Mexico and Central America the past few months. U.S. authorities implemented the temporary ban this Spring to prevent the spread of the parasite to American cattle.
Now, the USDA is set to reopen the following ports of entry, following this schedule:
- Douglas, AZ – July 7
- Columbus, NM – July 14
- Santa Teresa, NM – July 21
- Del Rio, TX – August 18
- Laredo, TX – September 15
The department expects to evaluate each port after it reopens to ensure that no adverse effects arise. Equines will need to undergo a seven-day quarantine at the port of entry.
