Claim: Consuming tainted lettuce caused more deaths in 2018 than homicides perpetrated by undocumented immigrants. 
Verdict: REFUTES

Retrieved passages:
title: Romaine lettuce
text: disease agent was Shiga toxin-producing . The most recent illness started on December 12, 2017; the PHA declared the outbreak over on January 10, 2018, and the CDC declared it over on January 25. In response to another "E. coli" O157:H7 outbreak, which probably began in mid-March 2018, the CDC recommended in April 2018 that consumers not buy or eat romaine lettuce unless they could confirm it was not from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region. On May 22, 2018, after a month-long warning, the CDC announced it was now safe to consume romaine again. The outbreak killed five people and

title: 2018 Romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreak
text: 2018 Romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreak In 2018, a strain of "Escherichia coli" bacteria caused the reported illness of 210 people across 36 states in the US, carried on Romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona. This strain produces shiga toxin, which is thought to have been transferred to the species from a strain of "Shigella" by a bacteriophage, a kind of virus that (as the name implies) "eats" bacteria. On or after April 16, 2018, cases of food poisoning began to be reported in the New York State area. The CDC eventually concluded this was an example of O157:H7, its

title: Listeriosis
text: for listeria on lettuce shipped on September 12 and 13 by an Oregon distributor to at least two other states—Washington and Idaho. By October 18, the CDC reported that 12 states are now linked to listeria in cantaloupe and that 123 people have been sickened and a total of 25 have died. While the tainted cantaloupes should be off store shelves by now, the number of illnesses may still continue to grow. The CDC confirmed a sixth death in Colorado and a second in New York; Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming have also

title: 2018 Romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreak
text: code for a strain of "E. coli "that is noteworthy for seeming to have genes from a different but related species, "Shigella", producing an unusual toxin, though not one especially lethal to human beings. List of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States 2018 Romaine lettuce E. coli O157:H7 outbreak In 2018, a strain of "Escherichia coli" bacteria caused the reported illness of 210 people across 36 states in the US, carried on Romaine lettuce from Yuma, Arizona. This strain produces shiga toxin, which is thought to have been transferred to the species from a strain of "Shigella" by a

title: Romaine lettuce
text: caused 89 hospitalizations across 32 states. In June 2018, the FDA traced the source of the latest "E. coli" outbreak to water from a canal located in Yuma, Arizona. In November 2018, the US CDC and the PHA of Canada issued a warning to consumers that romaine lettuce should not be consumed in any form, and that they should dispose of any currently on hand. The same strain of "E. coli" identified in the 2017-2018 outbreak was implicated. At least 43 people became ill in this outbreak, which the FDA traced to one of six counties in Central California: Monterey,

title: 2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks
text: 2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks In 2006, there were several outbreaks of foodborne illness from spinach and lettuce contaminated by . The initial outbreak occurred in September 2006 and its probable origin was an Angus cattle ranch that had leased land to a spinach grower (growing under organic practices). At least 205 consumer illnesses and 3 deaths have been attributed to the tainted produce. In December 2006, Taco Bell restaurants in four Northeastern states emerged as a common link among 71 sickened people across five states, 52 of whom were ultimately confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control

title: Environmental inequality in Europe
text: society while facing extreme deprivations. In Murcia, lettuce pickers have complained of having to illegally work for salary by volume for employment agencies, instead of by the hour, meaning they are required to work more hours for less pay, while also experiencing unsafe exposure to pesticides. Workers have alleged that they have been forced to work in fields while pesticide spraying is active, a practice which is illegal under Spanish work safety laws. Beginning in the 2000s in the El Ejido region of Andalusia, African (including large numbers of Moroccan) immigrant greenhouse workers have been documented as being faced with

title: Produce traceability
text: by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, found that produce caused 428 outbreaks and 23,857 cases of illness. Authorities note that several factors have contributed to the rise in outbreaks: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration noted in 2007 that fruit and vegetable-related outbreaks of food poisoning are on the rise and had struck in spinach, tomatoes, lettuce and cantaloupes. The agency urged fruit and vegetable processors to adopt food safety plans similar to those in the meat industry. An outbreak of "Salmonella" Saintpaul in 2008 was characterized by the US Center for Disease Control as the largest

title: Clostridium perfringens
text: arising from the incident. In December 2014, 87-year-old Bessie Scott died 3 days after eating a church potluck supper in Nackawic, New Brunswick, Canada. Over 30 other people reported signs of gastrointestinal illness, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The province's acting chief medical officer says, "Clostridium perfringens" is the bacteria [sic] that most likely caused the woman's death. In October 2016, 66-year-old Alex Zdravich died four days after eating an enchilada, burrito, and taco at Agave Azul in West Lafayette, Indiana. Three others who dined the same day reported signs of foodborne illness, which were consistent with the symptoms and rapid

title: 2006 North American E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in spinach
text: the FBI has launched a criminal investigation into this matter. On October 9, 2006, a popular brand of lettuce grown in California's Salinas Valley, the region at the center of the nationwide spinach scare has been recalled over concerns about "E. coli" contamination. On October 26, 2006, some of the largest grocery chains, including Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs and others, sent a letter to the farmer's associations, giving them 6 weeks to come up with a plan to prevent problems like the E. coli breakout from happening again. The overall toll of the spinach incident was 199 people in 28 states

title: Chipotle Mexican Grill
text: an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health traced an outbreak of campylobacteriosis to a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Apple Valley, Minnesota. The investigation found that chicken was sometimes served undercooked by the restaurant and determined that lettuce which had been cross-contaminated with raw or undercooked chicken was the vector for the outbreak. In early November 2015, "The Oregonian" reported that there was a little-known "E. coli" outbreak that had occurred earlier in July in which five people were infected with the . The outbreak was traced to a single Chipotle location in Seattle and that the incident was not

title: Lettuce
text: the "Listeria" bacteria or inhibition of bacteria to cause listeriosis. Other bacteria found on lettuce include "Aeromonas" species, which have not been linked to any outbreaks; "Campylobacter" species, which cause campylobacteriosis; and "Yersinia intermedia" and "Yersinia kristensenii" (species of "Yersinia"), which have been found mainly in lettuce. Lettuce has been linked to numerous outbreaks of the bacteria "" and "Shigella"; the plants were most likely contaminated through contact with animal feces. A 2007 study determined that the vacuum cooling method, especially prevalent in the California lettuce industry, increased the uptake and survival rates of "E. coli O157:H7". "Salmonella" bacteria, including

title: Immigration and crime
text: behavior among immigrants. A 2015 study found that Mexican immigration to the United States was associated with an increase in aggravated assaults and a decrease in property crimes. A 2016 study finds no link between immigrant populations and violent crime, although there is a small but significant association between undocumented immigrants and drug-related crime. A 2018 study found that undocumented immigration to the United States did not increase violent crime. A 2017 study found that "Increased undocumented immigration was significantly associated with reductions in drug arrests, drug overdose deaths, and DUI arrests, net of other factors." Research finds that Secure

title: Listeriosis
text: 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that a total of 72 persons had been infected with the four outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes which had been reported to the CDC from 18 states. All illnesses started on or after July 31, 2011 and by September 26, thirteen deaths had been reported: 2 in Colorado, 1 in Kansas, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 4 in New Mexico, 1 in Oklahoma, and 2 in Texas. On September 30, 2011, a random sample of romaine lettuce taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration tested positive

title: Migrant deaths along the Mexico–United States border
text: repel attacks with stones represents disproportionate use of force". On 14 September 2018, US media reported that Jacklyn the 7-year-old from Guatemala had died while in custody of US Customs. The girl’s family denied she did not have enough food to eat before she died. According to "Time" Magazine, in the first half of 2000, three immigrants were killed and seven others wounded in showdowns on the U.S. side of the border. In 2000, the United Nations opened an investigation into vigilante killings of migrants crossing Mexico's border with the U.S., dispatching a senior UN investigator to the border country

title: Killing of Mollie Tibbetts
text: election in Alabama in 2017. Others heckled a reply she made about Trump marrying an immigrant. The case became a political talking point for the more restrictive immigration policies of the Trump administration. Some conservatives emphasized that the suspect had entered the country illegally. In response, liberals characterized such responses as fearmongering, given studies finding immigrants less likely to commit crimes. The immigration status of the suspect has also raised debates about the differential treatment of undocumented farm workers to other undocumented immigrants in the United States. Tibbetts' younger brother and his football team memorialized her by printing her initials

title: Illegal immigration to the United States
text: in Mexico accused Border Patrol agents of tasering illegal immigrant Anastasio Hernández-Rojas to death. Media reports that Hernández-Rojas started a physical altercation with patrol agents and later autopsy findings concluded that the suspect had trace amounts of methamphetamine in his blood levels which contributed to his death. The foreign ministry in Mexico City has demanded an explanation from San Diego and federal authorities, according to Tijuana newspapers. According to the U.S. Border Patrol, there were 987 assaults on Border Patrol agents in 2007 and there were a total of 12 people killed by agents in 2007 and 2008. According to

title: Clostridium perfringens
text: ill. An inspection revealed a walk-in refrigerator with food spills and mold, a damaged gasket preventing the door from closing, and mildew growing inside." In July 2018, 647 people reported symptoms after eating at a Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurant in Powell, Ohio. Stool samples tested by the CDC tested positive for "C. perfringens". In November of 2018, approximately 300 people in Concord, North Carolina were sickened by food at a church barbeque that tested positive for "C. perfigens". "C. perfringens" is a leading cause of food poisoning in the United States and Canada. Contaminated meats in stews, soups, and gravies

title: Migrant deaths along the Mexico–United States border
text: Hyperthermia is one of the most common causes of migrant border deaths. A common cause of immigrant border deaths is drowning in canals, ditches, and the Rio Grande. Significant numbers of illegal immigrants die in car accidents and other accidental causes. According to a December 2006 cover story in the "San Diego Reader", "...traffic fatalities involving immigrants have more than doubled since 2003 as "coyotes," or "polleros" – the guides leading migrants across the border – try other methods. On August 7, nine migrants died in a crash in the Yuma sector when the driver of a Chevrolet Suburban –

title: Chipotle Mexican Grill
text: health officials confirmed a "Salmonella" outbreak that affected 17 Minneapolis-area Chipotle restaurants in mid-August 2015. The source of the outbreak was traced back to contaminated tomatoes that were grown in Mexico. The Minnesota Department of Health reported that samples from 45 victims were tested and found that their illness was caused by the "Salmonella" Newport bacterium as determined by DNA profiling. Later, the state officials reported that the total of persons who became infected was increased to 64 and the number Chipotle locations in which they had acquired the bacterium was increased to 22, all located within the state of