The battle over border control continues.

President Barack Obama has requested $3.7 billion in emergency funds to combat what some are calling an immigration crisis on the Mexican border.

Lawmakers say there’s a surge of unaccompanied children from Central America trying to cross the border. And according to U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Georgia, they’re bringing something dangerous along with them. Gingrey claims:

    "As you know, the United States is currently experiencing a crisis at our southern border. The influx of families and unaccompanied children at the border poses many risks, including grave public health threats. As a physician for over 30 years, I am well aware of the dangers infectious diseases pose. In fact, infectious diseases remain in the top 10 causes of death in the United States. … Reports of illegal migrants carrying deadly diseases such as swine flu, dengue fever, Ebola virus and tuberculosis are particularly concerning."

PolitiFact examined the claim and rated it PANTS ON FIRE. Staff writer Linda Qiu says the Ebola virus only exists on one continent.

“We talked to experts at the CDC and they told us that there've been no reports of Ebola virus anywhere in the western hemisphere,” Qiu said. “And the disease is mostly endemic to Africa.”

CDC scientists went on to say it’s extremely unlikely for a child or an adult entering the United States from Central America via Mexico to be infected with the Ebola virus.

Even if a traveler was infected with Ebola, independent experts say that person would be so sick there's a good chance he or she would die on the journey to the United States.

When reached, a spokesperson for Gingrey cited communications with border agents and organizations that deal with immigration, but didn’t provide any other details. Because of those things, PolitiFact rated the claim PANTS ON FIRE.

SOURCES: EBOLA CONCERNS IN IMMIGRATION CRISIS?