Florida has low vaccination rate, but GOP gubernatorial candidate points to immigrants for the measles outbreak: ‘You gotta control immigration’

Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida who is running to become the state’s next governor, pointed to illegal immigration as the cause of measles outbreaks during an appearance on CBS News’s Face the Nation. He made the comments in response to questions about immunization rates and the recent measles cases in Florida.

Margaret Brennan, the host of the Sunday program, noted that nearly all of Florida sits below the 95 percent immunization rate needed for herd immunity against measles. She asked Donalds whether his message to parents was to get their children vaccinated against the disease. According to CBS 12, Florida’s vaccination rate among kindergartners was at 88.8% in the 2024-25 school year. 

Donalds rejected that framing. He said his message to Floridians and Americans is that outbreaks in certain parts of the country stem from “rampant illegal immigration into the United States from the previous administration.”

Donalds links outbreaks to entry without vaccination records and shifts focus to health care costs

Brennan asked Donalds what evidence he had for the claim. He pointed to outbreaks in El Paso, Texas, in southwest Florida, where he lives, and in other areas. He said these places involve people who entered the country illegally and did not follow the standard vaccination schedule. He said that immigration is the primary factor to be blamed for measles infection numbers hitting a 35-year high. 

“Margaret, we’ve seen the outbreaks in El Paso, Texas, in Southwest Florida, where I live, and many other parts where you know that you have a situation. People have come into the country illegally, have not had that vaccination schedule, and not the ones today on young kids that parents do have concerns about,” he argued.

Donalds clarified that he was referring to earlier vaccines, such as those for measles, mumps, and rubella, not the more recent ones that some parents have concerns about for young children. Brennan then asked if he wanted people to be vaccinated. 

He replied that the main step is to control immigration. “You gotta control immigration into your country,” Donalds said. “You can’t have an entire segment of people more than 10 million coming to your country without that vaccination schedule. That’s how you end up having some of these outbreaks,” he added. 

Donalds listed immigration control as the first priority. He then turned to health care costs, stating that the regulatory framework of the Affordable Care Act is driving up expenses for every American and for Floridians. He said that is the issue he wants to stay focused on as the next governor of Florida.  There have been attempts to downplay the effect of measles outbreak from influential voices like Joe Rogan.