On Monday, the National Association of Immigration Judges condemned the Trump administration’s Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), following their order to remove CDC posters at immigration courts that displayed, in English and Spanish, warnings about the coronavirus and tips on how to prevent the spread of the disease.

EOIR has ordered immigration court staff to remove CDC posters designed to slow spread of coronavirus. No, this is not a parody account. — Immigration Judges (NAIJ) (@Imm_Judges_NAIJ) March 9, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT

NAIJ had recommended to immigration judges that they post in courthouses the English and Spanish language versions of the CDC's "Stop the Spread of Germs" and "Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019" posters. EOIR ordered that they be removed. — Immigration Judges (NAIJ) (@Imm_Judges_NAIJ) March 9, 2020

Here are links to the English language versions of the offending flyers:https://t.co/UKv0sFFxx4https://t.co/HVzmE0g7SF — Immigration Judges (NAIJ) (@Imm_Judges_NAIJ) March 9, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT

NAIJ did not provide an explanation from the Trump administration as to why these posters had been ordered removed. But the likely result will be reduced awareness of the disease among families seeking asylum in immigration courts.

Commenters on social media were outraged at the news — many of them speculating that the administration intends this outcome on purpose, and pointing out that any effort to control the spread of disease that discriminates by race or ethnicity will be self-defeating:

It's as if he doesn't understand how illnesses work. This doesn't just hurt the people he WANTS it to — which, of course, is sick enough on its own! It's going to make it worse and make it last longer. God, I hate him so much. — OUFENIX (D) 🦚 (@oufenix) March 9, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT

The original, biggest US Public Health Service success – stopping plague (!!) in the 1910s – happened because they disregarded race & ethnicity. Doing outreach to both Chinese and Mexican immigrant communities.

Public Health helps us all!https://t.co/cX8SgYWiOk — Blue Bee (@Blue_Bee_pllntr) March 9, 2020

ADVERTISEMENT

First off this is evil period. But secondly, the virus doesn’t discriminate. What Neanderthal thinks the virus will only hurt migrants? — HRCSuperVol1 (@hrcsupervol01) March 9, 2020