US to Reopen Cattle Ports from Mexico After Ban

The US Department of Agriculture announced on Friday that it will resume imports of cattle from Mexico, reopening ports along the border beginning August 24, 2025. This decision follows a year-long ban initiated by President Donald Trump’s administration in May 2025 due to an outbreak of the screwworm fly, which poses a threat to cattle.

The ports in Douglas, Arizona, will be the first to reopen, with plans to later open ports in Santa Teresa and Columbus, New Mexico. According to the USDA, every animal entering the United States through these ports will undergo a full inspection to ensure it is free of New World screwworm (NWS).

The parasite has been present in Mexico for years and reappeared in the US in early June, with 42 cases recorded since then. The closest active case to the Arizona port was detected approximately 325 miles away.

US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins described the closure of southern ports as a "tough but necessary action" to protect American livestock.