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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Are recent coronavirus surges in Texas a likely result of illegal immigration?

By Stevie Rosignol-Cortez
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NO

Evidence suggests that immigration, legal or unauthorized, is not a main driver of coronavirus surges in Texas. New cases in the summer 2021 surge have not been concentrated in counties along the border, nor have they been occurring only in counties with a majority-Hispanic population. The timeline of immigration spikes does not coincide with case spikes.

According to the New York Times’ mapping of reported cases, most coronavirus hot spots in the latest week have not been located in border counties. Some of the most severe outbreaks have occurred in the interior of the state, in counties with a majority non-hispanic population, such as Concho County, Chambers County and Glasscock County.

According to Pew Research, immigration numbers have been increasing throughout the pandemic, even in periods while coronavirus cases were in decline. From January to June 2021, cases in Texas steadily declined despite increasing immigration numbers.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
New York Times Texas coronavirus map and case count
Data USA Concho County, TX
Data USA Glasscock County, TX
Data USA Chambers County, TX
Pew Research Migrant encounters at southwestern border have soared in recent months
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.