Date Announced

The Associated Press reports that in March 2020, Vice President Pence directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "to use its emergency powers to effectively seal the U.S. borders, overruling the agency’s scientists who said there was no evidence the action would slow the coronavirus, according to two former health officials."

According to this news report, Stephen Miller spearheaded the White House's early efforts to issue the CDC's expulsion order. After these efforts were rebuffed by CDC and HHS, VP Pence and Acting Secretary Wolf intervened in mid-March, demanding that CDC Director Robert Redfield issue the order.

Effective Date of Change