US Treasury Secretary Scott Besent said on Sunday (16) that illegal immigrants are partly responsible for infections in the country’s cattle herd and that this has contributed to inflated meat prices. No evidence was provided to support the relationship.
In an interview with Fox News, Picent linked the price hikes to contaminated products that will enter the country with people across the border with Mexico.
He added: “Due to the mass migration, a disease arrived from South America that we had already eliminated in North America. These immigrants brought with them some of their livestock.”
This statement came after a question about the current food cost crisis. The presenter mentioned a recent statement from an industry executive in North America, who warned of the risk of meat costs reaching $10 (52 Brazilian reais) per pound (equivalent to 450 grams) from 2026. One reason may be a decline in the country’s herd population.
Picent said the industry was facing a “perfect storm” and also criticized policies inherited from Joe Biden’s administration.
The price of beef in the United States has broken records in recent weeks. The latest data from the Consumer Price Index indicates an increase of between 12% and 18% compared to last year.
One reason for inflationary pressures is the decline in the local herd population due to severe drought. Economists also point to the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on trading partners responsible for supplying the domestic market, such as Brazil.
In fact, the cost of food was one of the reasons that prompted Trump to announce on Friday (14) the reduction of import tariffs on hundreds of products, including beef, coffee and fruits.
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