The United States recorded over 66,000 new coronavirus cases and nearly 2,500 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday. At the White House, President Biden blasted the governors of Texas and Mississippi for ending statewide mask mandates and limits on indoor gatherings.

President Joe Biden: “The last thing — the last thing — we need is the Neanderthal thinking that, in the meantime, everything is fine, take off your mask, forget it.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Tuesday his state would end all COVID-19 restrictions by March 10. On Wednesday, Abbott accused the Biden administration of “recklessly” allowing asylum seekers to cross the Mexican border into the U.S., blaming immigrants for exposing Texans and Americans to COVID-19. The immigrant rights group RAICES tweeted, “It’s official. Despite all the scientific evidence, Republicans now believe that borders work better than masks when it comes to stopping COVID-19.”